The Antique Ring
by Bella.Diggory
Summary: Isabella came to America in 1912 aboard the Titanic. Her parents were killed, she wasn't. She lives with a kind family, meets and falls in love with Edward Masen. She disappears, 92 years later a girl named Bella Swan moves to forks. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE!
1. Prologue: New York 1912

**Full summary:** Isabella Marie Swan was born on January 1st 1901 in London, England. Her parents George and Emma Swan had lived their whole lives there in England, and thought that it would be good to move to another country. So on the morning of April 10th 1912 they boarded the RMS Titanic in hopes to starting a new life for their beloved daughter. In the early morning of April 15th 1912 the ship was hit by an iceberg and sunk tragically into the north Atlantic, taking the souls of over 1,500 people, including that of George and Emma Swan; leaving an orphaned and alone Isabella. Luckily while aboard the ship the small family had befriended another family, the Tailor's. As Isabella walks onto the streets of New York alone, she runs into the kind and selfless family again. Two years later the family moves to Chicago, Illinois. And just one year after that Isabella meets a boy named Edward Masen… But on the night of February 13th 1918 Isabella will rest her head on her pillow and drift to sleep. The next morning her parents will go to her room and find her bed empty, she is never to be seen again. 92 years later a girl named Isabella "Bella" Marie Swan will awaken from sleep, go to school and live life normally. That is until a boy named Edward Cullen will notice a very particular ring on the finger of a girl with a very familiar looking face.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the character's from this story, they are owned and were created by Stephanie Meyer, the creator of the Twilight saga.

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The Antique Ring

Prologue: New York 1912

I stood wide-eyed; cold and alone. People rushed passed me tear faced and shaking, frantically looking for their families and loved ones.

That was something I didn't have to worry about… my mother and father would not be found amongst this crowd. In fact, they wouldn't be found in any crowd.

My parents were… dead.

I took in a deep breath of confidence as I placed my foot on America for the first time.

Just as all hope was leaving my body a familiar voice rang in my ear, "Isabella?" The voice said in a both shocked and quiet way, "Isabella?" The voice repeated itself.

I closed my eyes and remember the first time that I had heard my name spoken with that voice…

"_Isabella! What a beautiful name. Are you excited to be going to America?" The beautiful redhead by the name of Lily asked me with an even more breathtaking smile on her lips._

_I blushed shyly, "Thank you, ma'am." I paused to give her a small smile, "And I'd rather much be back in London, I so love it there." I told her as I looked up at my mother and father, "I've never been anywhere else you see, so I am a bit nervous."_

_The woman let out an angelic laugh and smiled in my parent's direction, "Do you have family in America?"_

"_Oh goodness no!" My mother told her, "To be completely honest, I don't think we have family in any place accept England. George and I felt that it would be a good experience for Isabella to live life differently than we did, it is a new start for us." She explained._

"_Yes, it's always good to give our children what we never had. Our son Brandon will be sixteen come this July… we had hoped to go to America when he was still a boy, but as life goes on things must be put on hold." The brunette man named Ronald told my parents with an equally friendly expression._

"_So Isabella, what do you plan on doing once you get to America?"_

"Isabella!?" The woman brings me back into the present, "Oh thank the lord you're safe!" She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a warm hug; I looked up to see her husband and son with equally thankful expressions, "Darling, where are your parents?"

I bit my bottom lip as my chin began to bounce up and down with sorrows, "Oh good god…" Ronald said softly as he placed his hand over his mouth, "Lily… they didn't make it."

"Darling…" The woman whispered to me as tears rolled down my cheeks like lighting, "your parents are in a better place now." She paused as I saw her husband and son give her a nod, "Live with us, please; we'll take care of you. I know your parents would want you to be safe."

"Alright," I sniffed against her stomach "Mother and father would want me to be happy."

"That's a good girl… come along." Ronald said warmly as he picked me up and held me tight against his chest, "You'll be safe with us love."

I closed my eyes and slowly let sleep take me over…

"_We're going to have so much fun darling, you have nothing to be sad about." My mother told me as we sat together on our front porch watching the sun set, "Just you wait, you won't be sorry."_

"_But I love it here… I love England." I said sadly._

_Just then my father stepped out from behind the front door, "Come here little lamb," He picked me up and took a seat next to my mother, "It's going to be wonderful. Just think, America, a new country… a new beginning."_

"_But I don't want a new beginning, I want to live here." I complained against his chest as I rested peacefully in his arms._

"_Oh darling, it's going to be smashing." My father chuckled, "We can get a puppy."_

"_Really!?" I jumped up in excitement, "But I thought they were too messy?"_

"_Oh… I'm sure we can work something out, right darling?" He asked my mother._

"_Yes," She nodded, "We'll get a puppy, and you can name him whatever you like."_

"_Oh! Mother, father! It's going to be so much fun!" I squealed with a wide smile; they chuckled and smiled at each other._

When I opened my eyes, I was not at home. I was not in England. And I would not be getting a puppy.

When I opened my eyes all I saw were newspapers, being handed out and thrown around like free bread…

**TITANIC DISASTER; GREAT LOSS OF LIFE**

TBC

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So, what did you think? Please review! Chapter One will be in Chicago 1914.


	2. Chicago 1914

**For those of you who were wondering how Isabella lived and her parents didn't, you're about to find out.**

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**The Antique Ring**

Chapter One: Chicago 1914

I was thirteen now, and had matured more quickly than many other girls my age. If one would ask, I would say it was because I had gone through what one should never have to experience in a lifetime.

In hopes to leaving my past in the past the Tailor's had moved us to the city of Chicago, Illinois. No one there knew our past or how we had even come to America. It was truly a new beginning for us all.

I loved Ronald and Lily almost as much as my own parents; Brandon really was the brother I never had. He was so protective and kind, he never once gave off any sign of jealousy or resentment towards me or his parents since I had become part of their family. The Tailor's were truly the most selfless and warmhearted people I had ever met, but as much as I missed my parents… I was very blessed to be a part of this family.

I sat on the windowsill in my recently furnished bedroom; starring blankly at an old newspaper that I had kept in secret.

_**New York Tribune – Tuesday, April 16, 1912  
**_**MORE THAN 1,500 PERISH AS THE GREAT TITANIC SINKS**_**  
**_**ONLY 675 SURVIVORS, MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDEN, KNOWN TO BE RESCUED**

It had been two years, two years ago today since that fateful night.

I slowly closed my eyes and thought back to that night, that night that had gone from such a peaceful and calming night to a cold, dark and cursed one…

"_Mummy! Can't I please go look for daddy!" I asked as I sat fiddling my fingers on our first class bed, "He said that he would be back by now, but he isn't!" _

_My mother smiled and laughed in my direction, "Darling, he said he would be back so he will. He has probably just lost track of the time." She walked over to me and took a seat next to me, "Those Tailor's are lovely people you know, it is rather easy to lose track of the time with them." _

_I bit my lip, "I suppose you are right, he will be back." _

"_That he will, now, will you please stop worrying so much? Your father is a strong man, and a brave one. Nothing will happen to him!" My mother shoved me playfully; I giggled._

"_I know mummy, I just… I don't want anything to happen to you or daddy, I can't live without you." I told her as I looked down at the carpeted floor._

"_Darling," My mother said as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder, "you're only eleven years old. It is going to be a very long time before your father or I go anywhere. You've nothing to worry about." She kissed the top of my head._

_I nodded, "Yes, you're right."_

"_Of course I am right, I am always right." She laughed as she stood from the bed and walked over to my nightstand, "Now, what do you say you practice your reading until your father gets back? That should make it go by much faster." She suggested as she picked up my copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen._

_I smiled, "That sounds lovely, where should I begin?" _

"_Let's say you start at the beginning Isabella." She smiled at me as I took the book from her and opened to page one._

"_Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen." I began reading aloud to my adoring mother, "Chapter One. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters." I continued reading aloud as my mother gently brushed her fingertips through my loose hair, " 'My dear Mr. Bennet,' said his lady to him one day, 'have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?' Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. 'But it is,' returned she; 'for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it…' "_

_Just at this moment I looked up to see my father smiling at me from the doorway, "Daddy!" I announced as I closed the book and dropped it beside me and I ran at full speed to my father, "I missed you daddy!" I whispered as I jumped into his arms._

"_I missed you too my darling!" He replied; I could feel my mother's sweet smile on the two of us, "You're doing beautiful at your reading, you have improved so much." _

_At that I blushed, "How are Mr. and Mrs. Tailor doing this evening?" I asked as he set me back down onto my feet._

"_Quite well actually." He told me as he smiled over at my mother, "Hello darling." He whispered as my mother stood from the bed and made her way to my father._

"_Hello Mr. Swan." She chimed back as he embraced her in a big hug and gentle kiss; I giggled._

"_Now… what do you say you read to your mother and I?" My father asked as he and my mother separated._

"_I would be delighted!" I smiled happily as I ran back over to their bed and slid my copy of Pride and Prejudice back onto my lap and opened up to the page I had left off at._

"_Mr. Bennet made no answer." I continued as my father and mother took seats on opposite sides of me, " 'Do not you want to know who has taken it?' cried his wife impatiently. 'You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.' This was invitation enough. 'Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.' " _

_My father placed his hand on my shoulder and leaned down and kissed the top of my head, "You're doing so well darling."_

_I smiled up at him as I closed the book beneath my hand, "I think I will be off to bed now." I smiled as I slid off of their bed and walked over to my single bed._

"_Don't forget your prayers darling." My mother reminded me as I slid the covers up over my legs and knitted my fingers together._

"_Now I lay me down to sleep," I began as I gently closed my eyes, "I pray the lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the lord my soul to take." I opened my eyes to find both my parents standing over my bed with smiles on their faces._

"_Good night darling, have pleasant dreams." My father told me as he leaned down and kissed my forehead, "I love you."_

"_Good night, my little angel." My mother whispered before kissing my forehead, "Have sweet dreams Isabella." _

"_Good night mummy, good night daddy." I yawned as I laid my head softly down on my pillow._

_I drifted into my dreams…_

_Sssscccrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I awoke to a loud screeching noise; the entire room was shaking with thunderous rumbles._

"_Daddy!" I cried, "Mummy!" I jumped out of my bed and ran over to them, "What's happening?_

"_I don't know darling!" My father answered as he flipped on the lights, "But I am going to go find out. You two stay here; daddy will be back in a moment." My father told me with a shaken voice as he stood from the bed; wrapped a stripped robe around himself and nearly ran out of the room._

"_Mummy…" I said nervously as I trembled in her arms._

"_I'm sure everything is fine darling… everything will be fine…" _

_***My memory flashes forward through time._

"_What do you mean there are no more life boats!?" My mother cried, "There has to be more boats!" _

"_You're telling me that there are over a thousand people left on this ship with no way of getting off!?" My father shouted to a crewman. _

"_I'm so sorry sir! That's all I know!" The blond crewman shouted as he ran backwards into the panicking crowd._

"_George, what are we going to do!?" My mother asked with tears streaming down her cheeks._

_My father shook his head, "I don't know Emma… but we are going to have to figure something out, and fast." My father shouted above the roar of the crowd._

_But, we never figured anything out. Only moments passed before my parents knew that in their hearts… we would be going down with the ship._

"_I… I… I… Is… Isab… bella…" My father shivered, "L… l… l… l… listen t… to m… m… me." _

_My mother shivered weakly against my fathers shoulder, "Th… there isn't en… en… enough roo… room for all all all of us t… to fit… you ne… need to to cli… climb onto the do… do… door." _

"_N… n… n… n… no!" I cried, "No… no… not with… without yo… you!" _

"_Is… Is… Isab… bella Ma… Marie Swa… Swan," My mother shivered, "Listen t… to you… your fath… father." _

"_B… but Moth…"_

"_Now, Isab… bella." _

_More tears fell from my frozen eyes as I pulled myself up onto the floating door, "St… stay the… there!" My father demanded._

"_Da… daddy…" I sobbed, "Mum… mummy!" I had lost control, "I love yo… you s… so mu… much!" _

"_W… w… we lo… love you too da… darling!" My mother shivered as she reached her hand up and squeezed mine; though I couldn't feel a thing. _

_***God only knows how long had passed…_

"_Hello out there!" I hear a man shout, "Can anyone here me!" His voice gets louder, "Come about!" _

_I open my eyes to find a life boat floating in my direction; a flash light pointing in different directions._

_As I look around the smile fades from my lips, I am floating in a sea of corpses…_

"_Mother," I say softly as I turn my head to face my parents, "Father! There's a…"_

_They are dead._

I open my eyes and look down at the newspaper resting carelessly in my lap; a soft knocking at my door brings me back into the present.

"Just a moment!" I called as I rushed over to my bed and slid the newspaper under my mattress, "Come in!"

My adoptive brother Brandon looked at me with a peculiar expression as he opened my door, "Everything alright, Isabella?" He asked as he stood in the doorway holding my door handle gently in his hand.

I nodded, "Yes, everything is fine." I lied as I bit my bottom lip.

"Isabella, I have known you for two years now." He said to me as he walked towards me, "I can tell when you aren't being truthful. We both know what today is." He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Brandon." I apologized as I placed my hand over his, "I would just rather pretend to be alright, than face the truth." I half smiled, "Where are mum and dad?" I had made it a habit of calling Ronald and Lily my parents; it somewhat made the truth easier to bear.

"They went out for lunch with Father Koyle; they won't be back until later this evening." He told me as he removed his hand from my shoulder, "Do you need to talk about it?"

I shook my head, "No, I'll be alright." I said as I looked out my open window, "It is such a lovely day out today, would you like to go on a walk?" I asked him with a hopeful smile.

He let out a small chuckle, "I would love to go on a walk with my little sister. We can even go to the park if you like." He smiled as we headed down the stairs.

"Yes, I would like that very much." I smiled as he handed me my light violet jacket; I looked at him curiously.

"I hear it gets cold here in the evenings, wouldn't want you to be out there unprepared." I shook my head while rolling my eyes; he is such a gentleman when he wants to be.

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The chains above me squeaked with rust and age; it had been so long since I had last swung.

My hair whipped in the wind as a warm breeze caressed my body once more.

Brandon sat on the wooden bench across from where I was; he sat with a content smile on his tan face.

"What?" I asked him as I slowed my strides.

"Nothing, I just love seeing you happy like this Isabella."

I smiled back at him as I stood from my swing and walked over to him, "Well get used to it Brandon, because this smile isn't going anywhere."

"I'm glad to hear it," He reached his hands out to me and laced his fingers through mine, "Let's go get some ice cream."

"That sounds good." I replied as he stood from his bench and the two of us began walking towards the sidewalk.

"Edward!" We heard a tall brunette woman call out, "Edward darling, hurry along or we'll be late!"

"I'm coming mother!" A handsome boy called back to the woman as he rushed past me; a smile appeared across his lips as his eyes met with mine.

I felt the heat rush to my face as I looked down at the ground; I heard him chuckle softly as he reached his mother.

Edward… that's a lovely name.

TBC

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**Hmmm…. foreshadowing anyone? Tell me what you think! Please Review!**


	3. Sweet Sixteen 1917

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Two: Sweet Sixteen 1917

_Dear Diary,_

_12 October, 1914_

_I feel like such a fool. Why can't I ever go anywhere without hurting myself in some fashion? Earlier last month I went for a walk in the woods, and the ground was much muddier than what I first thought, and I ended up breaking my ankle! I must have been lying there for two hours before anyone found me. I imagined it would have been Brandon or Ronald "father" who would have found me lying there in the mud, but it turned out someone I had never even met found me. Well, not properly met, anyways. A few months ago, about a month after we moved to Chicago, I was in the park with Brandon when a Boy named Edward and his mother passed us by... and that is who found me; Edward. He picked me up and carried me all the way back to my house. As we walked onto the front porch I saw that the automobile wasn't parked in front of the house, I knew it would be at least and hour or two before anyone would be home. And when I told him that, he told me that it was alright and that he would wait with me until they got home._

_We have spent every other day together since... despite my massively large cast around my right ankle; Dr. Cullen told us it should be able to safely come off sometime within the next month or two, but definitely before the New Year. _

_Edward is here now, I best be going._

_Love always, Isabella_

**1917**

_Dear Diary,_

_1 January 1917,_

_Today is my sixteenth birthday and so far everything has gone so perfectly. Ronald "father", Lily "mum" and Brandon are taking me for a special birthday dinner this evening at a small restaurant just down the street from here. They told me there will be a special surprise for me there... I can't even get Brandon to give me a hint as to what the surprise is, all he has said is 'it will be worth the wait... you'll love it.' and then he kisses my forehead and walks away with a humored smile on his face. Oh well, I will find out soon enough. The reservations are set for six o'clock and it is now four-thirty, just an hour and a half from now!_

_Love always, Isabella_

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The blindfold around my eyes became itchy and hot as the engine from the automobile rang in my ears, "Honestly, Brandon, we could have walked! And why must I wear this ridiculous piece of cloth around my eyes... It's terribly uncomfortable!" I complained as I rubbed around my eyes again through the fabric, "And why aren't mum and dad here again?"

He let out a soft chuckle, "Isabella, I have told you, it's a surprise! Mum and dad are meeting us there, don't worry!"

"Yes, but, Brandon, the restaurant is just down the street, and, why must I wear this bit of wool? It's driving me loony! You're going to have to have me committed if you don't take it off soon!" I moaned against his shoulder.

"Isabella, love, you can make it a few more minutes, I promise you! It is your birthday after all... And besides, the blindfold bit was _my idea_, you _can_ get me back come _my birthday _you know."

"Aw yes, our little Brandy is going to be twenty-one, oh what, oh what are we to do?" I sang mockingly.

"Indeed! And mylittle Izzy is sixteen today, oh what, _oh what_, am I to do?" He asked back with a humored smile on his lips. I could of course, not see him, but I knew him long enough to know what each and every expression his face held simply by listening to the tone of his voice.

"And... we... are... here." Brandon said slowly, spacing out each individual word.

"Good! Now may I please take the rutty thing off?" I begged in an almost disturbing tone.

"Not yet Isabella," I heard my mum say in her normal gentle voice, "you must wait until you're inside, that's where the surprise is!" My father chuckled from what sounded like beside her.

"But mum, this is ridiculous! Can't Brandon just cover my eyes with his hands?" I asked.

"Yes, I could." My older brother responded.

"It would be easier." I said hopefully.

"It would."

"But you're not going to?" I asked as my hope sank to my knees.

"But I'm not going to."

I whined as I felt the hands of either Brandon or my father grip onto the sides of my shoulders; my mother took my hands in hers and led me forward across the smooth brick ground.

"You're almost there love, just a few more steps." My mother sang as the air around me turned from cool and crisp, to warm and soothing, "Here you are dear." She whispered as she slipped her hands away from mine, and the hands on my shoulders slithered away.

It was then that a new pair of hands slid to the sides of my face, and reached behind my head to untie the blindfold that would soon be used for blackmail against my older brother.

As the blindfold feathered its way to the ground the new pair of hands slid away from me and the gentleman the hands belonged to whispered, "Surprise."

My eyes shot open as I wrapped my arms around him, "Edward!" I squealed as he spun me around in his arms, "What're you doing here!?" I asked excitedly, "I thought you went with your mum to visit your relatives' in Canada!?"

As he set me back onto the ground I couldn't help but let my hands slide down his arms and then fall and rest gently into his warm hands, "And miss your sixteenth birthday?" He sounded almost offended, "Never, Isabella, I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"I'm so glad you're here!" I told him as I crashed myself against him once more.

He chuckled slightly as he wrapped his arms around me, "I'm glad too Isabella."

The next few moments were filled with silence as we stood there embracing each other.

_Meanwhile..._

"That blindfold was ridiculous." Ronald said to his son as they took their seats.

"I know, but I couldn't help myself." Brandon responded; Lily laughed angelically.

"You two are as thick as thieves." She added.

"That we are, and, because of the whole blindfold idea of mine, she'll be getting me back come July." Brandon said as he swirled his index finger across the table, "Can't wait." He said sarcastically.

Ronald shook his head and laughed softly, "I swear, if I've ever seen two people more in love..." He stated as the small group looked over at their adopted daughter and the boy who had stolen her heart.

"He is so good for her, Ronald. I haven't seen her this happy for a long time."

"She's happier now than she was then mum."

"He's right Lily... she is much happier now than she has ever been; as long as we have known her that is."

"I am so happy for her, she needs to be happy. So many of her years of life have been spent mourning the tragedy that happened back in 1912... she's forgotten how to be a child and have fun. But he has brought her to life again, he has made her young again."

"She's only just sixteen mum."

"I know that darling, but, she spent nearly her whole life with us acting as if she were older than myself or your father. Edward has... he's given her life."

"Brandon... do you know if she has told him?" Ronald cut in; changing the subject.

"No." He answered simply, "No, I don't think she has." He paused as his parents exchanged a familiar look, "But she will... Just give her time."

"Happy birthday dear Isabella, happy birthday to you!" The group finished singing merrily as my cheeks burned with embarrassment.

I closed my eyes and wished, _"I wish that I will be able to gather all my courage and tell Edward how I really feel about him before this evening is over."_

As I blew out my sixteen candles applause broke out amongst the table.

"Happy birthday dear." Lily said as she hugged my shoulders, "Sixteen! Uh!" She plopped herself back down into her seat, "It seems just yesterday you were turning twelve."

Edward and Brandon exchanged a smile from across the table, "May I have this dance?" Edward asked warmly as he stood and stuck his hand out in front of me.

"You may." I responded with a smile.

"Have fun darling." Lily smiled as I stood from my seat as Edward held my hand in his; I smiled at her and blew a kiss to Brandon.

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Edward cupped his left hand around my waist and lifted my hand with his right hand into the air as I placed my left hand onto his shoulder, "Happy birthday Isabella."

I bit my bottom lip softly as gentle heat danced to my face, "Thank you."

It seemed that forever had passed by before either of us spoke again, "Isabella," Edward whispered softly; breaking our silence, "I love you."

"Edward..." I responded softly as he brought his head down towards mine, "I love you too... I love you so much Edward."

As his lips met mine it felt as if the world had stopped; it was just us.

TBC

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**Authors Note: I am so sorry for how long it took to update! It will not happen again, I promise. It is just I have been so busy since my last update. My parent's got divorced, dad got the house, and I had to move out along with my mom and brother and yatta-yatta-yatta. Anyways, please leave a review and the next chapter WILL be up BEFORE 2010!  
Next chapter will be 'Christmas 1917' then onto the final chapter of Isabella!**

**XOXO - Bella Diggory**


	4. Christmas 1917

**Okay. . .so I thought I knew where I was going with my previous chapter four. But obviously not. And so I have decided to do this re-write. Well, I hope you like the changes. I saw that a ****majority**** of you did not like the last chapter four, so, here is the new one. ****Please**** tell me what you think.**

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**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Three: Christmas 1917

**Part I: Christmas Eve**

_Dear Diary,_

_24 December 1917,_

_Everything was perfect. Everything was okay again. _I wrote weakly in my diary. _I, was okay again. I was safe, I was content. . .I was happy. Nothing bad ever mattered as long as we were together. I haven't seen him in over a month, I haven't seen my Edward in over a month! I miss him so much, so much more than I have ever missed anybody that hasn't been of direct blood. I love him, and now I fear I will never see him again. The Spanish Influenza has already killed thousands of people, and now its cursed poison is working its way through Edward's veins. Why did he have to get it? Why! What did he ever do to deserve it? What did anybody do to deserve it? It's not fair. . .it's not! I love him so much and now the stupid devil is trying to take him from me! I am just not meant to be happy. Because whenever I am happy, my happiness is always taken from me. Always. I have to see him again. . .somehow. . .someway. I have to tell him at least one more time that I love him, and that he is the only one I want. _

_I love you, Edward Anthony Mason._

_Love __Always__, your Isabella_

I placed my diary underneath the loose floor board in my closet, and then trudged over to my bed as tears stained my cheeks. I slowly crawled onto my bed and pulled myself into a ball and began crying my heart out. "Edward!" I sobbed aloud as my stomach burned with contractions.

"Isabella?" Brandon asked softly as the illuminated hallway streamed light into my darkened bedroom.

"Go away!" I sobbed as I buried my wet face into the blanketed mattress beneath me.

I heard the floorboards lightly squeak as Brandon entered my bedroom. He walked over to my bed and crawled beside me. I felt his arms wrap around me as he laid behind me.

"Go away Brandon! You being here isn't going to make it any better! Edward is still dying!" I cried as I tried to push him away.

"You're right, it wont. But it wont help me knowing my baby sister is in here by herself crying her eyes out while I sit in my room pretending nothing is happening. I have to be here for you Izzy, that's why I am your brother. To protect you and comfort you when you need it."

"I'm sorry Brandon." I paused to let out another fit of sobs. "I just. . .I miss him so bloody much!" I cried. "Edward!" I sobbed as I squeezed onto Brandon's arms.

"It's alright, it's alright love." Brandon tried to sooth me.

"No it's not! While Edward is dying I am getting ready to have Christmas with my family!"

"Yes, you are." he told me as he turned me in his arms to face him. "And do you know why you are?"

"Because I am selfish and stupid and. . ."

"Because Edward would want you to be happy. We all, want you to be happy. Edward would hate it if he saw you like this. . .I have seen him, Izzy. I have seen the way he looks at you, the way he looks into your eyes. Even the way he says your name. He is in love with you, so deeply in love with you. So you need to be strong, for him. If not for yourself, than for him. For me, and for mum and for dad."

I nodded my head as more tears fell from my eyes.

"You weren't there when we told him what happened to you, and to your mother and father, but I was. When we told him that your parents froze and you lived. . .do you know what he said?"

I shook my head.

"He called you an angel. His angel." He paused. "He called you the most _beautiful_ and _perfect_ thing that had ever happened to him, and he had always wondered what? What did I ever do to deserve Isabella?"

I felt my eyes burn as more tears rushed to the surface. "He. . .he said that?"

"Yes, he did. He loves you so much. And he want's you to be happy, he doesn't want you to be sad, Izzy. None of us like seeing you like this, it breaks our hearts."

I slammed my head against his chest and wept harder.

"We all love you dearly and we all wish this wasn't happening to you, to anyone, but it is."

_Edward_. I thought. _I have to see you. . .please, Edward, please. I have to see you, one last time, please. . ._

**Part II: Edward, I love you**

I slowly turned the handle to the front door and stepped outside into the cold winter air. Small snowflakes were flying in every which way and wind blew in such low temperatures that I felt my lips go numb almost immediately. My face burned and my lungs went dry as ice. But I didn't care. I had to see Edward. . .I was headed to the hospital. My chances of them actually letting me in were very low, but if I were lucky Dr. Cullen would still be working. . .and maybe, just maybe, he would he let me in.

I traveled through the light snow in my black knee-high boots, deep purple dress and brown long coat. My black lace gloves hardly helped, but they did block some of the wind.

* * *

As I walked into the hospital I was pleased to see most of the doctors and nurses had retired for the evening, leaving just the evening doctors.

I walked down one corridor and then another, hoping against hope I would find either Dr. Cullen or Edward before anyone else.

And luckily. . .it was my lucky night.

"Excuse me, miss, you can't be here, it's not sa. . ."

"Dr. Cullen! Thank goodness I ran into you and not another doctor. Please, I need your help." I told him as ran over to him.

"Isabella? What are you doing here? You must leave, it is not safe here."

"Please, Dr. Cullen, I have to see him. . .please. I know the risks and I don't care. I have to see him, I can not go another day with out seeing him."

He let out a short sigh. "Alight. But only for a few minutes and you must put on a mask and pair of gloves beforehand."

"Thank you, thank you so much Dr. Cullen! You have no idea how much this means to me!"

He nodded as he led me back to his office. "Here, put these on." He commanded as he handed me a white pair of gloves and mask.

I followed Dr. Cullen out of his office and down three set of corridors. At the end of the hallway there was a pale green door; Edwards room.

Dr. Cullen slowly opened the door. "Wait here a moment." He asked as I nodded my head. A few moments went by and he was back. "Alright, he is awake. But I must warn you Isabella he does not look how you are used to seeing him." He paused. "I will be in my office for the next hour or so. . .then I am going to come back for you." He said with a small smile as he turned to leave.

I took a swallow of saliva as I stepped forward into the white hospital room. My breathing picked up and I felt tears beginning to well up in my eyes as I neared the hospital bed. "Edward." I whispered as I rushed over to him.

"Isabella. . .what are you doing here? I don't want you to get sick." He said weakly as I grabbed the back of a chair and slid it as close to him as possible.

"Oh Edward. . .I don't care!" I said as a tears began racing down my cheeks. "I had to see you Edward, I couldn't go another moment without seeing you."

He smiled at me. "I love you." He whispered as he reached his hand towards me and laced his fingers through mine; I wrapped my opposite hand on top of his and smiled back at him with wet eyes.

"I love you, too. I love you so much Edward. I want you back, I want you healthy. I. . .I need you." I said as I sniffed my nose.

He reached his free hand up and slid the blades of his fingers across my cheeks. "Don't cry Isabella, please don't cry." I took my hand from atop his hand and placed it over his hand on my cheek forcing the palm of his hand to rest against my skin.

"Edward." I said softly. "I don't care if I get sick." I told him as I released my hand from his to take off my mask.

"Isabella. . .don't. Put it back on right now!" He tried to shout but only produced the volume of an indoor voice.

"I love you." I whispered as I brought my lips to his. His lips were soft and dry, and his hair was silky as I slid off my glove and placed my hand on the side of his head.

At first he tried to softly push me away from him, but then as I tried harder his lips were moving in unison with mine. His hands wrapped around me as I pulled myself onto his bed next to him. I pressed myself against him; needing his closeness and warmth. Needing his love.

"Edward. . .I love you so much." I whispered as we lay in his bed holding each other.

"I love you, too, Isabella. So much more than you will ever know." He whispered as he kissed my forehead twice. "Will you open up the drawer on the table next to you?" He asked as I nodded my head and turned my body. "There will be a small blue box, can you get it for me?"

I opened up the drawer and pulled out the small blue velvet box and handed it to him. "I was going to ask you this on your next birthday. . ." He said slowly as he opened up the box and faced it towards me. "Isabella, will you be my wife?"

I held my mouth agape as my heart stopped beating. "Yes." I whispered as he pulled the silver ring from the box. "Yes Edward. A thousand times yes!" I said softly as I brought my lips back to his.

He slid the ring on my finger and it fit perfectly. It's sapphire's shined with the light from the candle beside us. And the diamonds reflected the love from my heart.

"It's beautiful Edward." I said softly as I looked down at my hand incased in his.

"No, Isabella. . .you are beautiful." He told me as he brought his hand to my chin and kissed me so deeply that I lost myself with him.

Time. Place. Situation. Year. I forgot it all. All that mattered to me that I was with my Edward, and that we were together, and that we would be forever. We would live together until the end of time.

Mr. And Mrs. Edward Anthony Mason.

TBC

* * *

**Well, I am actually much happier with this chapter than I was with prior chapter four. Much, much happier! It turned out better than I thought it would!**

**Tell me what you think!**


	5. Route 1918

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Four: Route 1918

**Christmas Eve Night 1917**

Edward looked down at Isabella safely cradled in his arms; her chest rising and falling slowly as she slept peacefully. Her right hand rested against his chest as her left lay comfortably at her side.

Edward brought his hand up to her face and gently brushed the tips of his fingers across her lips. "I love you so much Isabella." He whispered as he felt tears burning their way to the surface. "I want to give you everything... I want you to be my wife, I want to have a family with you. And I am so sorry that I can't." He told her softly as a tear escaped the corner of his eye. "You are so beautiful and so perfect and I am so lucky to have you. From the first moment I saw you I knew you were an angel." He paused to kiss her forehead gently. "Isabella... Isabella I am so sorry. Please forgive me my love." He pressed his forehead against hers as tears began to pour from his eyes.

"Edward..." She said softly. "Edward I love you." Her voice was slow and even as she spoke gently in her sleep. As she spoke Edward felt a guilt hit him so hard that he could no longer control his sobs.

Guilt for not being able to marry her.

Guilt for not being able to have a family with her.

Guilt for not being able to grow old with her.

Guilt for not giving her more time.

Guilt for not being able to give her the world.

And guilt for getting sick.

**February 13, 1918**

Isabella walked from the bathroom in her white nightgown and entered her illuminated bedroom with tired eyes. She walked over and sat down in front of her white vanity and looked at her soft expression in the rectangular mirror. She opened up the top drawer and pulled out her porcelain hairbrush and began slowly brushing down her long wavy hair.

Afterwards she walked over to her closet and pulled up the loose floorboard and pulled out her purple diary. She walked over to her bed and adjusted the pillows so she could comfortably lean her back against them. She looked down at her ring finger that held the engagement ring Edward had given her and she smiled, and she began to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_13 February 1918,_

_Although I do not have Edward with me, things feel like they are going well. Somehow, someway, I know that we are going to be together, forever. Something inside of me is telling me not to be sad anymore. That things will work out the way they are supposed to. It is as if something is telling me that Edward will be okay, that he will live. I must sound crazy or desperate. But believe me when I say, everything will be alright. _

_Love, Isabella_

I set my pencil down on my bedside table and closed my diary. As I walked over to my closet I kept smiling, knowing everything that I had written was true. I lifted the floorboard and gently set my diary in it's secret hiding place. I then walked with heavy eyes over to my wall by my door and flipped off the light, leaving only the gentle yellow glow from a candle lighting my room. I grabbed my hair with my hands as I sat on the side of my bed and began braiding it to the side. I reached over to my bedside table and picked up a long blue satin ribbon and tied a loopy bow at the bottom of my braid.

I slid my hand across my bed and pulled down the white sheets and cream colored comforter as I let out a wide yawn. I crawled under my covers and pulled them up across my chest, I then leaned over and blew out the candle.

**The Morning of February 14, 1918**

"Isabella!" Lily called from the bottom of the stairs. "Your breakfast is getting cold!" She shouted as she held her hand on her hip. "Brandon darling, will you go see if she is awake?" She asked as she turned to her son.

"Yes, of course." He said with a smile before heading up the stairs.

"Isabella." Brandon said calmly as he knocked on her door. "Isabella your breakfast is getting cold." He paused as he gripped the glass handle in his palm. "Isabella?"

As he opened the door he poked his head inside, "Isabella?" His eyebrows came together as he looked around the empty bedroom.

Her bed was the way it had looked as she had been sleeping in it; the sheets gently ruffled, her outfit for the day was set across her chair and untouched. He quickly went down the hall and into the bathroom which was also empty of human life. He ran back to her room to look for any sign she was there, but nothing.

He called for his mother and father and they ran up the stairs side by side with the same worried expressions on their faces.

They searched the entire house. Nothing was missing. Her shoes were all accounted for, clothes, books, personal effects, nick-knacks, photos... nothing was missing. It were as if she had vanished into thin air. All the doors were locked, no keys missing and no sign of any struggle.

Lily threw her hand over her open mouth as she began to weep, Brandon and Ronald quickly went to her and put their arms around her.

Isabella was gone.

TBC


	6. All Those Years Ago

**This chapter is short, I warn you. It is kind of an introduction to the modern day.**

* * *

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Five: All those years ago

**Edward's POV**

"Alright class... today is the day you have all been looking forward to. The test!" Mr. Banner said with enthusiasm as he began handing out bundles of white paper. "And remember folks you-"

"Hello. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt... It's my first day here, and I got lost." I looked up, that voice...

"Oh it's alright, you're Isabella Swan right?" Mr. Banner asked her as my breathing stopped. "Come on in, no need to be shy. Come on!"

Isabella? It can't be...

"Yes, you can just call me Bella." She told him as she bit her bottom lip and looked around the classroom shyly.

"Well alright Bella, you can go take a seat by Mr. Cullen." He told her as he pointed to the set next to me.

"Thank you." She said politely as she headed towards me.

Does she remember me? Is she... is that even... it can't be. But it must be! Her hair, her eyes, her skin, her mannerisms, the way she bit her bottom lip... and her voice, its not American or English, but somewhere in between the two...

"Hello." She said softly as she took a seat next to me.

"Bella, we are taking a test today so I'm not going to have really do anything accept look at the questions so you can see what we have been studying, alright?" The teacher told her as he continued passing out tests. "After that you can pull out a book and read or do some work from another class."

"Alright." She replied as she placed her hands on the tabletop, patiently waiting for the test.

I looked down at her hands and no... that is _not _the ring I asked her to marry me with all those years ago... it... it can't be...

I closed my eyes and tried to remember, my human memories were fuzzy but Isabella I would never forget...

_Flashback_

"_Isabella, I'm sorry but it's time for you to leave." Carlisle said as he appeared in the doorway to my hospital room. _

_She looked up at me and bit her bottom lip. "I love you Edward." She whispered before kissing me softly on the lips._

"_I love you too, Isabella." I whispered to her as I hugged her tight against me and breathed in her sweet scent. "I love you more than anything in the world." _

"Thank you." Isa... Bella, said, as Mr. Banner handed her a test. She looked over at me and handed me one.

"Thank you." I said to her as I set it down and closed my eyes.

This is not possible... she can't be _my Isabella_...

TBC

* * *

**Okay. I know some of you may be very confused, but A LOT will be explained soon. And to answer a questions you all may be wondering: Is this the same Isabella? And if she is, will she remember? To answer your questions... stay tuned for updates! :D**


	7. Memories and His Face

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Six: Memories and his face

**Bella's POV**

I sat alone in the cafeteria; secluded and thinking privately. Everything is so... new. I just wish Mr. Swan would tell me how he found me, where he found me. But everytime I ask he tells me not to worry myself over it and to just be thankful I am alive.

Is that a riddle of some sort?

All I remember is waking up in the hospital room that was overstuffed with doctors and nurses. No one knew who I was or where I had come from, and the only answers I had for them was my name. I knew nothing else... _nothing. _

The only clues I have to my past are my ring on my finger and a large scar on my leg, and my name. They say my accent could be explained easily by my family moving here from England, so they put that aside.

Mr. Swan was kind enough to take me in when I had nothing, and it was just golden luck that we share the same last name. It makes is easier for people to believe we are related, even though no one has ever heard of me before.

"Bella!" I heard a small feminine voice call as I ended my thoughts and looked up to see a girl named Alice I had met earlier approaching me. "Bella come sit with us, you look lonely." She offered politely with a small, genuine smile.

I nodded my head. "Thank you." I told her as I stood and followed her over to her small table. She smiled back to me as she looped her arm through mine and began hopping over to her friends.

"Bella, this is my boyfriend Jasper, and his twin sister Rosalie and her boyfriend Emmett, and I think you already met Edward?" She introduced and asked as I sat down beside her and smiled at each new, and familiar, face.

"It's nice to meet you all." I greeted them. "And yes, Edward and I have met." I told her as I set my backpack onto the floor and smiled over at him. He did not smile back though, he kept looking at me with a very... sad expression? He looked like he recognized me somehow, but that just wasn't possible. I mean, I only knew my name.

"So Bella, how'd you end up in Forks?" The boy named Emmett asked, breaking my focus on Edward's curious expression.

"I just moved here." I told him the story Mr. Swan had given me. "From England, and I hadn't seen my uncle for a while so I thought I would pay him a visit." I lied with a perfectly believable smile.

"That's cool." He smiled. "You seem very well mannered, must be 'cause you're English huh?" He laughed.

"Yes." I agreed with a soft laugh of my own.

As I was about to reach into my bag Alice shrieked and I jumped. "What!?" I asked as my heart pounded in my chest from being startled so badly.

"Where did you get _that!?_" She asked excitedly as she grabbed my left hand and began stroking my one clue to my past: the ring. "It's so pretty!" She smiled happily.

"I have had it since before I can remember." I told her honestly.

"Well it is beautiful, I love antiques!" She sang as she stroked it slightly.

"Antiques?" I asked curiously as I brought my hand back to my own vision and looked down on it.

"Yes, antiques, I'm a sucker for them. You were lucky, it looks new!" She smiled.

"No... I mean, I don't think it's an antique. I remember it being new when I got it?" I asked myself more than her, seeming to faintly remember not buying it... but it being _given_ to me by _someone_.

I closed my eyes and thought hard, so hard it almost hurt. _Now I see it... a hospital room. I feel sad yet happy, so happy, yet terribly sad. The boy I am with looks very sick, like death is quickly approaching him. He has his arms wrapped around me and obviously loves me dearly... and I love him just as much. I lift my eyes to look at him and his face is so... Edward?_

"Bella?" Alice pulled me back from my memory. "Are you alright?" She asked as she placed her hand gently on my shoulder.

"Yes." I smiled and opened my eyes slowly. "I'm just tired." I lied before looking up at Edward, who was still looking at me with sadness. I bit my bottom lip, examining every inch of his face. It was so familiar yet so different... but why, how was it so familiar? As I looked at his hair I could feel it sliding between my fingers and I could almost taste his breath as I looked at his lips. I could feel the smoothness and comfort of his hands as I looked at them resting softly on the tabletop, and his arms... I longed for them to wrap around me and hold me.

To whisper his name and hear him whisper mine back, only not Bella... but Isabella. I could feel the love filling in my chest and I had to stop myself as I began reaching my hand across the table towards him. He looked down at my hand and seemed to be resisting the same urges I was feeling.

But why was I having these feelings in the first place? I don't even know him... do I?

And if so... does he know me?

* * *

"Edward, how is your-" Carlisle was cut short.

"Carlisle, do you remember Isabella?" Edward asked him with an arm folded across his chest as he leaned; trembling against his car.

Carlisle let out a small sigh as he took a seat in his office chair. "I see you met Bella."

"Carlisle, please, just tell me... I know you know, I _have_ to know... I know she was at the hospital." He paused and closed his eyes. "Is it her?"

Carlisle took a long pause before responding. "Yes."

Edward dropped his phone to the ground and sank to the cement like a limp dead body.

"_Isabella... my Isabella... my love..._" He whispered softly to himself before closing his eyes and getting lost in the thought of his Isabella... his love... his only love.

His soul mate.

TBC


	8. You Are Always There

"_Death can not stop true love, all it can do is delay it for a while."_

* * *

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Seven: You are always there

**Edward's POV**

History: the last class of the day. Then I'll be able to go home and think, think of a way to speak with her. A conversation starter is key here, I can't just walk up to her and say, "Isabella, I missed you so much, where have you been all these years and how are you still human?" Yeah, right. That would work out wonderfully. No, I need something to talk about, then, then I will be able to drift the conversation. I know she doesn't remember a lot, I can see that clearly. But she does seem to remember _some _things... and maybe those _some things _include me. I mean, the way she looked at you in the cafeteria, and how she reached out to you for the slightest of seconds, that must be some sign that she remembers me. And if she doesn't remember me than she must recognize me some how.

"Hey Edward, are you going to sit down or just stand there like a creeper until the bell rings?" Rosalie asked snobbishly as she set her bag on the ground and looked over at me with an equally snobbish expression.

As I walked over to my secluded table in the back of the room I felt a familiar, soothing presence enter the room, and I knew before even turning around who would be taking the empty seat next to me.

"Isabella, I didn't know I would have the pleasure of having you in my class." Mr. Call said happily as I slowly took my seat and looked up at my long lost love as she smiled back at the teacher and handed him a slip of paper.

She bit her bottom lip and took the paper back from him after he signed it for her. "Thank you." She said politely as she folded it twice and clenched it gingerly in her hand. He smiled back at her and did exactly what I knew he would do next, signal for her to come and sit next to me.

"Hi again." Rosalie smiled sweetly at her as she passed by.

"Hello." Isabella said shyly as she gave my adopted-devil a small smile.

"Alright class," Mr. Call began as Isabella made her way to me. "Today is a video day, so you can leave your stuff in your backpacks and just relax. But remember to pay attention, we will be having a test next week on what you learned today." He informed us as he walked over to the DVD player and turned it on.

"What's it on Mr. C?" One of the students asked before letting out a long annoyed sigh.

"While it's about History." Mr. Call chuckled to himself as she flipped the TV on.

"Ha-ha, very funny Mr. C. What _History_ is it on?" The same student asked as he tapped his fingers on his desk.

"I will give you a hint." The teacher began. "Can anyone tell me what major tragedy happened back in April of 1912?"

I closed my eyes and _prayed _there was something else that happened that year that I had somehow missed. I mean, I was only eleven, I'm sure there was a bunch of things I didn't hear about. As I looked over at Isabella I knew that there wasn't and I was just thinking wishfully for her, and for me. Anything that had to do with her, before, I avoided by all means necessary, but now, now... I didn't know how I'd react. Now that she was sitting next to me. Would she somehow remember something and reach her hand to mine and take it in hers to silently let me know she remembers everything? Would she let me wrap my arm around her shoulders and hold her close? I don't know...

I really don't.

I can only hope.

"That's right folks, you will be learning the _truth _about the RMS Titanic. And before any of you say 'oh I know _everything_ about it because of that movie with Leonardo DeCaprio and Kate Winslet', I'd like to let you know there were well over 90 mistakes made in that film." He paused and shook his head. "Anyways, enjoy. And pay attention."

As the film began Mr. Call switched off the lights and walked over to close the blinds.

I conspicuously looked over at Isabella and wondered to myself if seeing images and footage of the Titanic would make her remember. But she didn't look in the direction of the video, instead she kept her eyes steadily facing downward.

"Edward." She whispered softly as she looked over at my hands. "Do you know me?" She asked slowly and steadily. "Please don't think I am crazy if you don't, it's just, you see, I don't remember much from my past, I don't know much at all. But, you... you seem very familiar. And I have very little memories that I get sometimes, and you are always in them." She paused and looked up at me. "And I... I knew your name before I was told it."

I took a small intake of air before responding to her, I had to be careful what I said. "Yes Isabella, I do know you." I said softly as I looked into her warm brown eyes.

She bit her bottom lip and grabbed the engagement ring I had proposed to her with. "And this ring... did you?"

"Yes." I spoke softly and slowly as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Why can't I remember?" She asked as she set her face in her hands and began softly crying. Out of habit, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her gently against my chest and set my forehead on the top of her head.

"You will Isabella, I promise." I whispered softly as she moved her hands away from her face and wrapped them around my shoulders. She grabbed softly onto the back of my head and laced her fingers through the base of my hair.

Her hands felt so good as she slowly rubbed the back of my head with her fingers, I couldn't help but lean into her gentle touch. It was so familiar and comfortable and loving, and so _longed for_. For the past 92 years I had waited for the moment of my death so that I could return to her, but now I didn't have to. Because she hadn't died, she had only gone away for a little while. And now she was back, back in my arms and back in my life.

And no matter how long it took, I would help her remember me. Remember her life and what we had shared together. I would help her remember Brandon and Lily and Ronald and the life she had so long ago. And no matter how many painful memories came back to her, I would be there for her. To love her and hold her and comfort her. Just like I was doing now, and just like I always had.

"I love you." I whispered soft enough for only my ears to hear. "I love you so much."

TBC


	9. When I Was Told

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Eight: When I was told

**Edward's POV**

The feeling of having Isabella in my arms again, it was so familiar and so... intoxicating. I could feel Rosalie's eyes on us but it didn't matter to me, nothing mattered to me as long as Isabella and I were together.

I closed my eyes peacefully and slowly found myself being pulled into my memories...

_1917_

"_Edward, come have a seat. Isabella will be home soon." Lily told me with a sweet motherly smile. "I think it's about time we had a talk." _

"_Yes, we haven't spoken much have we?" I asked her as I took a seat across from her._

"_No, we haven't." She agreed softly. "But it's really Isabella we wanted to talk to you about." She told me as she looked over at her husband and son. "She isn't really our daughter, you see." _

_I looked at the three of them curiously._

"_I am sure you have wondered why Isabella hasn't spoken of her past, before we came to America, or even how we came to America." She went on. "Her life back in England was happy and perfect, from what we heard. She simply loved it there, she really didn't want to move away, but her parent's felt it best to give her a better life than what they had." _

"_And I wish that they were able to give her that, but since they passed away... we are doing the best we can." Ronald spoke in as he placed his hand over his wife's. _

"_The truth is, Edward... do you remember the tragedy of the Titanic back 1912?" Brandon asked me as he looked up from the floor to meet my eyes. _

_I nodded and whispered: "Yes, of course." _

"_I thought as much... well, that was our transport from England." He told me slowly. "We were all first class, so we were all the first to board the life boats. My mum and father got on the first boat with myself, and we assumed that Isabella and her parent's George and Emma would be safe as we were." He paused and looked down at his hands and licked his lips. "But we were wrong..."_

"_When we boarded the Carpathia we looked everywhere for them, _everywhere_." Ronald began. "But we could not find them anywhere." _

"_We thought they hadn't made it, we _knew_ they hadn't made it. But we refused to believe it." Lily told me softly._

"_And as we arrived in New York that is when we had lost all hope for them." Brandon began. "We had only met them on the ship, but we felt like old friends. Emma and George were so full of life and happy people, and little Isabella was so shy and loving... we fell in love with them all straight away." He smiled. "So as we were getting ready to leave the shipyard, that's when we saw her." _

"_She was so small and innocent, it shouldn't have happened to her." Lily said softly._

"_We are so lucky she is alive, it is a miracle." Brandon told me. "She was only eleven at the time, but she survived!"_

"_But I don't understand, if they got to the boats..." I began._

"_They didn't though." Ronald told me. "We thought they had, but they were too late. By the time they got to them they were already off the ship, and the ones that weren't were swarming with so many people there was no hope to get onto one... no matter how hard they tried." _

"_George and Emma Swan froze to death." Lily spoke. "And Isabella didn't... and we are so thankful for that. We don't know how she survived, we assume she climbed atop something that had broken off the ship... she hasn't spoken about it since it happened. So there really is no way of ever knowing." _

"_She's spent nearly all of her childhood mourning over their death that she had almost forgotten what being a child was all about. She had almost forgotten how to be happy." Brandon told me. "But then you came along." He smiled._

"_You saved her, Edward." Lily smiled. "In everyway a person can be saved."_

"_You are so good for her. You give her everything she deserves, we could never ask for anyone better than you to take care of her." Ronald paused. "You love her and care for her so wonderfully. And we know that she loves you, you are perfect for each other."_

_I smiled and looked down at my lap. "I always knew."_

"_Knew what love?" Lily asked me curiously._

"_That Isabella was my Angel." _

Isabella moved away from my arms; pulling me back into the present day. She looked just as beautiful as she had then, if not, more beautiful. Her hair was just as soft and her eyes still as gentle and warm.

As I looked towards the front of the classroom I saw Mr. Call eyeing us and motioning towards the video that he had assigned us to watch. I reluctantly pulled my arms against my chest and away from Isabella, who looked over at me with a warm smile before focusing her attention towards the video that I dreaded her to watch.

She swiftly pulled a small piece of paper from her backpack and wrote something quickly and elegantly with a dull pencil, which had conveniently been left on the desktop from a previous class. Her eyes staying on the screen in front of her, she slowly slid the piece of paper towards me:

_We need to talk._

TBC


	10. Train Tickets

**READ: Before I go on with this chapter I would like to make an announcement. **

**As I have been writing this story I can't help but think to myself: 'What would their life have been like had they both lived long healthy human lives?' Well, as they say, curiosity killed the cat. And so I pulled my brain together and wrote a life for them. It is called 'Our Perfect Life' and it is posted on my profile. I worked really **_**really **_**hard on it, so please check it out and tell me what you think!**

**P.S. Apologies for such a long wait time for the update!**

* * *

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Nine: Train Tickets

**Edward's POV**

"I get it." Rosalie said snobbishly as she walked up to me with her arms folded across her chest. "I get that you are alone and surrounded by all of us married people, and so I get that you feel alone." She told me mater-of-factly. "But what the hell was that?" She asked me. "Holding some random girl you have never met and telling her _you love her_? Like get a clue Edward, people just don't do things like that. There is this thing called _getting to know each other before you vow your heart to each other, _you may want to look into it." She huffed. "Because it is truly pathetic."

I knitted my eyebrows together and looked down at the ground for a few moments before looking back at her. "I-"

"And in case you didn't notice that ring on her finger, which Alice pointed out earlier so I don't see how you missed it, she kind of has someone waiting for her back from wherever she lives. So you may want to back off and get a life of your own before you destroy hers." She cut me off. "I mean, where do you get off speaking to her like you know her? She just moved here and you're acting like-"

"Rosalie, to put to an end any further embarrassment that you may inflict on yourself I suggest we end this conversation before it goes on any longer." I told her as I stood with my back straight.

"Embarrass myself?" She asked me. "No Edward, if anyone is embarrassing themselves it is you."

I let out a soft laugh. "By telling the person who my heart has belonged to since 1914 that I love them?" I asked her; humored. "Well, I must be behind then, because I thought a person assuming they now everything but ending up be completely mistaken was a bigger embarrassment, but far be it for me to judge."

"Since nineteen-fourt… what?" She asked me.

"I believe you heard me correctly the first time Rosalie." I told her. "Now, if you do not mind, I have someplace else to be."

"Edward," She called as I began walking away from her. "She is human."

"I know that." I told her.

"So how is she still… young?" She asked. "I mean… she should be dead." One flaw of living with the same people for the past few decades is that you learn each others habits, and you can never lie undetectably.

And that's why I never lied.

"Isabella was born in 1901 in England, she came to America in 1912 on the Titanic, she made it but her parents didn't." I quickly explained. "I met and fell in love with her in 1914, we first kissed on her sixteenth birthday, and I asked her to marry me in 1917, and she said yes." Rosalie looked at me dumbfounded. "And no, I don't know why or how she came back into my life, and how she still looks how she did the last time I saw her and how she is still human. I don't know any of that, and that is why I am going to be gone for the next few days."

Rosalie stood with her eyes closed as she shook her head slowly. "Where are you going?" She asked me gently.

"To the one place I know she will remember." I told her.

"And where is that?" She asked as she opened her eyes to look at me.

I let out a long breath before responding. "Chicago."

* * *

As I looked out onto the road in front of me I wondered why I had told Rosalie everything I had; I wondered why I had been so honest and calm about it all. But I guess whenever I thought about Isabella that's what happened, I just lost myself and stopped caring what other people though. And I also knew if I just fest up to her she would shut up and leave me alone, which meant I could be where I needed- where I _wanted_ to be.

With my Isabella.

I looked over to the two white and blue train tickets Carlisle had purchased for me and wondered how Isabella would react to my telling her where we were going. Would she refuse to leave with me? Would she freak out? Would she ask endless questions as to why we were going… as well as I knew her, I did not know how she would react. All I knew is I would try and persuade her if it came down to it, and if I had to, I would tell her the truth.

I knew she didn't remember a lot of her past, of our past, but I knew she remembered a little. And in that little bit she remembered me. So maybe by taking her back to the place where her memories always took place in, she would remember it all.

And if not, I would help her to.

* * *

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

"Edward!" Isabella answered with a smile as the door swooshed open. "What are… how did you know where I lived?" She laughed softly.

"Well it's a small town so everyone knows where the Chief lives and…" I paused and let out a humored sigh. "Should I have called first?"

"No," She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I just wasn't expecting you. Please come in." She said politely as she gestured with her hand towards the inside of the house.

"Thank you." I smiled gratefully as I stepped inside the house. "When will your uncle be getting off of work?" I asked.

She let out a soft laugh and bit her bottom lip as she looked down towards the ground. "Edward," She said softly as she looked back up at me. "I think we both know he isn't my uncle."

I smiled softly as she closed the door behind us. "So…" I began. "You said we needed to talk."

"Yes," She began. "As I told you before, I don't remember much of my past… my _life_… but what I do remember, well, you're always there." She told me with a nervous laugh as she stroked her ring gently with her fingertips. "I know I am asking a lot, but, can you… _will _you help me?"

"Yes." I told her simply. "When I told you you would remember, I meant that I would help you to."

She nodded her head slowly with thankfulness. "Before we… before I start interrogating you, there is something I must know." She said as she closed her eyes. "This ring. I know you said that you gave it to me, but, I need to know what for. What reason… is it a friendship ring? A promise ring… I just, I can't remember at all."

I licked my bottom lip with the underside of my tongue as I looked down. "It's an engagement ring." I told her slowly.

"Oh," She said with little surprise. "Well, that certainly explains a lot." She said more to herself then anything; I politely didn't respond. "So, would you like a drink or something to eat?" She asked.

"No thank you." I told her.

"Alright, well, would you like to sit down?" She asked softly. "The living room is just through here." She told me as she motioned towards the said room.

"Yes, that would be great."

"Great." She said with a smile as she led the way towards the pale yellow room.

* * *

"And when I woke up I was surrounded by dozens of people I had never seen before in my life. They kept asking me questions, but the only one I could answer was what my name was; Isabella Marie Swan." She concluded. "I couldn't remember anything else."

"Isabella…" I began as I looked over at her. "I think I know a way to help you remember… everything." She looked at me with interest. "But that would entail you going somewhere with me."

"Alright." She said. "Where would we go?"

I swallowed as she continued looking me deeply in the eyes. "Chicago."

She furrowed her eyebrows together and looked down. "I know it's far, and you have every reason to decline coming with me, but I th-"

"When would we leave?" She asked as she looked back up at me.

I smiled. "Tomorrow at ten o'clock." I told her. "I know it's short notice, but, I didn't want you to go any longer not know-" I silenced myself as Isabella threw her arms around me and squeezed me softly into a warm hug. "Not knowing who you are." I whispered softly as I wrapped my arms around her small body and breathed in her familiar and soothing scent.

"Thank you Edward," She thanked me as small drops of warm liquid soaked into my collar. "Thank you _so much_."

"You're welcome Isabella." I told her softly as we sat embracing each other.

I closed my eyes as she feathered her fingers through the back of my hair and rested her forehead on the crook of my neck; her warm breath teased my chilly skin.

_Flashback_

_Winter, 1916_

"_I can't believe how cold it is out there!" Isabella stuttered through shivers. "I wish there were a way to keep the cold air outside where it bloody belongs." _

_I laughed softly as I wrapped a white quilt gently around her shoulders and chest. "It isn't that cold Isabella, it's just you're so small." I told her as I cupped my arm around her back and held her shoulder securely in my hand. I then rubbed her arm and pulled her close towards my body; she relaxed against me and leaned her head against my shoulder. "See, you're warming already." _

"_Thank you Edward." She thanked me as she snuck her right hand away from the quilt I had wrapped her in; I felt as her fingers laced their way through mine. I wanted to place her hand back inside the covers and tell her to keep it there for her warmth, but I couldn't. So I just sat there with Isabella in my arm as we held hands like any couple would on a cold winters night… only we were not a couple. _

_And we wouldn't be for the next two weeks. _

"I should probably get packing."

"Hm?" I asked as I was yet again pulled back into modern day.

"I said I should probably get packing, for our trip." She repeated as she slowly pulled her arms away from me.

"Oh, yes, I should probably do the same." I told her with a small smile. "So I should get headed out."

"Yes, it would be kind of hard to pack your things if you stayed here." She laughed. "I'll show you to the door."

I nodded as we stood from the couch.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Isabella asked as we walked side by side.

"Yes, I'll be here around eight-thirty." I told her with a smile as she opened the front door.

"Sounds good." She said with a small smile. "I'll see you then."

"Good bye Isabella." I told her with slight reluctance in my tone.

"Good bye Edward."

I walked to my car slowly as the pain that I had grown so accustomed to having found its way once more to my still chest...

_Good Bye Edward. _

TBC

* * *

**Stay tuned! **

**Chapter Ten: Chicago Illinois 2010**


	11. Chicago 2010

**A/N: This chapter contains a lemon. Please do not read unless you are 18 or mature enough to handle it. Again, lemon, meaning sex, is in this chapter. Please do not report my story, this lemon is pure LOVE, not lust. Enjoy!**

* * *

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Ten: Chicago 2010

**Bella's POV**

We stood on the porch to an old and familiar Victorian style house in old-town Chicago. It was two-seventeen in the morning and freezing, but Edward had told me that it was the only safe time we could come, and so, after having slept through the day, I went with him without any questions or complaints.

The door swung open as Edward placed his lock-picking supplies into his jacket pocket, and we stepped inside. It was dark and almost familiar…

"I'm sorry it's so dusty and unkempt… no one has been inside since the nineteen-fifties." Edward told me softly as we made our way through the dark and familiar house after having closed and locked the front door.

"It's alright," I told him, "It's not your fault, and besides, it's really not all that ba-" I cut myself short as my eyes and mouth were submerged with a sticky, dusty spiders web, "Bad." I continued after shaking myself free from the web, "Why hasn't anyone lived here for so long?" I wondered.

"Well, the original owners, the Tailor's, passed away in the late nineteen-thirties, and their son Brandon inherited the house. And when he passed away in nineteen-fifty-eight he requested that the house remain locked and vacant. In his Will he said to never allow anyone in the house and to never sell it." Edward explained.

"Oh…" I said softly, "That's very um… unusual. So, what are we doing here? I mean, can't we get in trouble if someone finds us?"

"Arrested, no doubt." He told me flatly, "But that's exactly why we won't get caught."

"Well that's good," I frowned as I leaned against a wall, "So, why did Brandon request this house to never be sold? I mean, it is rather unusual to keep a house locked up for so long."

"Well, under the right circumstances anything unusual can become usual." I raised my eyebrows, "Back in nineteen-eighteen his sister vanished," He told me, "And Brandon always wanted the house to be ready for her if she were ever to return."

"Vanished… what do you mean vanished?" I asked, "Was she kidnapped or something?"

"Well that's the thing. No one could ever find out. Just one morning she was just… gone. There was no sign of a struggle, nothing was missing, all the doors were locked, no keys were out of place… she just vanished." He paused, "The family didn't take it well… they never accepted that she had gone."

"The family?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, she wasn't biologically their daughter." He told me, "Her family, her mother and father, had… they died on their way to America."

"How?" I wondered.

"The ship that they voyaged here from… it was the Titanic." He said softly.

"What were their names?" I asked him softly.

"George and Emma Swan." He said slowly.

"Swan?" I whispered, "What was… what was their _daughter's _name?" My voice cracked on 'daughter'.

He took a moment and just looked down at me with an expression I couldn't quite fathom, "Isabella," He finally said, "Isabella… Marie… Swan."

_That's my name… but I can't possibly be… I can't be…_

"Can we see her room?" I asked him with a thick lump in my throat.

He nodded and reached out to take my hand, which I willingly took, "It's upstairs." He told me softly as we began making our way to the narrow staircase, "It's the one part of the house that was never touched. It looks exactly as it did from the moment she was discovered missing back in nineteen-eighteen."

As we walked over to the staircase we passed a few pictures, which I recognized as the Tailor's, "Ronald and Lily were lovely." I commented as we passed a family portrait, I laughed softly as I looked at a portrait of myself, "I never could get my hair… quite… right…" My eyes widened, "Edw-"

"Shh," He told me softly as he turned to face me. He reached out and took my other hand in his free hand and we began walking up the stairs, he kept his eyes on me as he walked backwards up the steps.

"What's going o-" I began to ask.

"Shh," He told me again softly.

I kept my mouth open but my voice box silent as we made our way to the second floor.

Everything was becoming so familiar. The walls, the floors, the furniture and faces of the people in the frames photos… _my face_ being in the photos. And voices, memories, of voices slowly singing in my mind.

But this wasn't possible. He said _she_… _Isabella_… disappeared in nineteen-eighteen, but it was 2010, a life that long just wasn't possible. That's nearly a century… and I'm still seventeen…

"It's this way," Edward spoke softly as he continued leading me down a wide and comfortingly familiar hallway.

"I know," I told him as our slow pace turned a sharp corner which lead to two white doors with gleaming glass handles.

I could feel Edward's eyes on me as I stepped ahead of him, dropping his hands gently from mine as I stepped and stopped in front of the first door. I then placed my hand gingerly on the handle, and turned until the door clicked open.

I expected a small squeak or a difficult push to get the century-old door to open, but nothing. It just swung easily open with no noise or troubles at all. I stopped it before it could run into the wall on the inside of the room, and I stepped inside the gentle rose colored room.

Edward stood silently in the doorway and watched as I slowly took in my surroundings: a white vanity, matching dresser with gold painted handles, a full-length mirror, a small bookcase which was over flowing with different sized books and papers, and a single sized bed which had the appearance that someone had recently slept inside. And an innocently creaked-open door which led to a closet that held a loose floor board…

I bit my bottom lip and remained silent as I walked over to the vanity. I ran my fingertips along the wood and smiled softly as I remembered sitting here so many times and brushing and braiding my hair before going to bed.

I looked over at Edward who seemed to be fighting some type of emotion… sadness, maybe? Happiness, relief… I couldn't quite tell.

I turned my attention back over to my… _the _bed as I began striding slowly over to it. My hand ran gently over the silky material as I slowly walked to the nightstand next to the head of the bed, it was white and had a pencil, framed photo, and book laid out gently on its surface.

As I reached the head of the bed, I slowly sat down at let out a gentle sigh with my eyes closed as I placed my hands on the mattress on either side of me. It was soft and plush… _just how I remember it. _

I opened my eyes and looked onto the nightstand, and my heart thumped wildly against my chest as I did so. The framed photo… the framed photo… the framed photo was Edward… _my Edward._ I reached out and plucked the photo from the nightstand and brought it to my lap and stroked the face of it gently, smiling and whispering, "_Edward_…"

And just like that… all of my memories came flooding back to me…

_Living in England with mummy and daddy, begging not to move to America. Being persuaded as they tell me they'll buy me a puppy. We'll be happy they say, all of us will be so happy… but mummy and daddy never make it…_

_Standing alone at the docks in New York. No family, no clothes… nothing. Hearing a familiar voice call my name, and going to live with the Tailor's… Lily and Ronald and Brandon._

_Keeping a diary in my closet, under the loose floor board._

_Braking my ankle when I was thirteen… Edward finding me and carrying me all the way back to my house, this house. We became inseparable friends, and fell in love almost right away. _

_First kissing on my sixteenth birthday; New Years nineteen-seventeen._

_Feeling my heart break as Edward becomes infected with the Spanish Influenza in nineteen-eighteen… never wanting to eat, sleep, or talk again. _

_Going to him on Christmas Eve at the hospital; sneaking out late at night to see him. Telling him I love him and that I don't care if I get sick because I had to see him again._

_Laying with him, saying yes, yes, yes, yes, as he asks me to marry him…_

A small tear rolled down my cheek as I set the photo back on the nightstand. I then closed my eyes as I slid off of the mattress and onto the floor, where I turned to face my bed and reached under the mattress. I slithered my fingers around for a few seconds until I found it; thin and crinkly, the news paper. I pulled it out and looked down on it, a photo of the Titanic with a disastrous story and headline above and below it.

I set it onto my bed as I stood to walk over to my closet, where I slowly swung open my door and dropped to my knees. Tears ran down my cheeks as I lifted the loose floor board from its bearings. And there it was, safe and content, just as I had always left it. A small violet diary with a light cover of dust atop it.

I lifted the diary from inside the floor and set it next to me as I put the floor board back in place.

All the while, Edward had been standing there, silently watching me.

I walked back over to my bed, silently, and sat down. I opened up the book and began to read:

_Dear Diary,_

_18 April 1912,_

_Mummy and daddy are gone.  
The ship sank… Titanic sank.  
They said it never would… God can not sink this ship…  
So the devil sank it, then.  
So many people are dead.  
I am not one of them.  
I wish I were…  
Mummy and daddy… wherever you are…  
Mummy and daddy… I miss you… come back to me…  
Mummy and daddy… I love you… please…  
__Mummy and daddy… I need you…_

_I love you… forever yours… Isabella_

I flipped aheadd to another entry…

_Dear Diary,_

_24 December 1917,_

_Everything was perfect. Everything was okay again. I, was okay again. I was safe, I was content. . .I was happy. Nothing bad ever mattered as long as we were together. I haven't seen him in over a month, I haven't seen my Edward in over a month! I miss him so much, so much more than I have ever missed anybody that hasn't been of direct blood. I love him, and now I fear I will never see him again. The Spanish Influenza has already killed thousands of people, and now its cursed poison is working its way through Edward's veins. Why did he have to get it? Why! What did he ever do to deserve it? What did anybody do to deserve it? It's not fair. . .it's not! I love him so much and now the stupid devil is trying to take him from me! I am just not meant to be happy. Because whenever I am happy, my happiness is always taken from me. Always. I have to see him again. . .somehow. . .someway. I have to tell him at least one more time that I love him, and that he is the only one I want. _

_I love you, Edward Anthony Mason._

_Love __Always__, your Isabella_

And the last entry…

_Dear Diary,_

_13 February 1918,_

_Although I do not have Edward with me, things feel like they are going well. Somehow, someway, I know that we are going to be together, forever. Something inside of me is telling me not to be sad anymore. That things will work out the way they are supposed to. It is as if something is telling me that Edward will be okay, that he will live. I must sound crazy or desperate. But believe me when I say, everything will be alright. _

_Love, Isabella_

I closed my diary and set it gently on my nightstand, and then looked over at Edward, who was still standing stiffly in my doorway.

_How is he still alive? How am I still alive? God, does it even matter? I was right… and we are together again. Edward, God, he is so handsome. Just as he always has been. I love you Edward, I love you, I love you, I love you so much! _

I smiled and looked down at my engagement ring and whispered, "Does this mean we can get married now?" And he came to me so fast, I didn't even see him move, all I knew now was that he was in front of me on his knees looking into my eyes. His eyes were wet, like he had been crying, but his cheeks showed no sign of ever having been wet.

I brought my hand up to his cheek and held it there and whispered, "I love you Edward… I love you so much." He smiled at me as he cupped his hand around mine.

"And I love you, Isabella," He whispered back, "I have been waiting for you, for so long. I never gave up hope that you would come back to me… and here you are. You've come back to me, I don't know how and I don't know why, but here you are." He told me, "God, I love you _so much_." He added as he brought his hand up to my cheek as I slid my hands around his head to lace my fingers through his hair, "And yes, we can get married."

I smiled and laughed softly with happiness, "Oh, Edward," My voice was hoarse with wild emotions as I leaned forward to rest my forehead on his, "Edward, Edward, Edward…" I repeated his name over and over like a prayer, "I love you." I told him as I pulled softly on his hair with my hands. He moved his hand away from my cheek and wrapped his arms around my body to hold me and hug me tightly against him.

"So many years…" He told me, "So many years I have been waiting to hear your voice again Isabella."

"Edward," I whispered softly as he opened his eyes, "Kiss me… please kiss me," I begged him.

He smiled and looked into my eyes for a brief moment, and then he leaned forward and brought his lips softly to mine, "Edward," I moaned between kisses, "Edward, I love you."

"I, love you, too." He moaned softly as he stepped up from his knees and began leaning me down softly onto my bed, "I love you, so, much." He told me as he kissed a fast trail along my neck and jaw line.

"Edward…" I sighed a we laid vertically along my bed, "Edward." I know it was stupid… so stupid… but saying his name when he was with me brought so much joy to me I couldn't even control it, and I didn't want to.

And as if he were feeling the same way, he whispered my name over and over and over… "_Isabella… Isabella… Isabella… Isabella_," In between kisses.

I took my hands away from his hair and reached down to his waist and tugged his shirts up and pulled the over his arms and head. I tossed them onto the floor as he brought his lips back to mine, I reached my hands back down to his waist and began unbuckling his belt and un zipping his pants. I tried tugging them down his waist but couldn't reach and so Edward took over and pulled them down his thighs and through them onto the floor at the foot of the bed.

We looked deeply into each others eyes as he slid his hand up my sides and under my shirt and sweater; I moaned at his touch and lifted myself against him as he pulled my clothing from my body. He took his hands and slid my pants and panties down my legs and off of my feet, leaving me clad in a single lacy white bra.

I widened my legs around him as he leaned down to kiss me, and I moaned into his mouth as the tip of his sex brushed against my wet lips, "I love you Isabella." He whispered softly as he slowly slid into me.

"I, lo-ughh-ve, you t-o-uggghh," I moaned back as the length of him filled me.

I was breathing hard and gripping tightly onto his shoulders as he slowly slid in and out of me. We were looking into each others eyes and mentally telling each other how much we loved each other, I could hear him, and he could hear me. The love we shared went deeper than words, deeper than actions or emotions, deeper than _souls_…

_We were one._

"Closer Edward," I whispered as he began pressing his hips more tightly to mine. I couldn't have him away from me… I just couldn't. I wanted him as close as possible… it hurt to be away from him.

With each thrust he moved faster and faster, harder and hard, and I found myself moaning louder and louder with each motion. My ears rang with his breaths and moans, and I began getting more and more excited with the sounds of him begin pleasured. It turned me on to turn him on, and I knew he liked it, and that alone was enough for me.

"Edward, oh, Edward!" I moaned as I tightened my grip on him.

"Ughh," He moaned, "Isabella… Isabella!"

"Edward!" I cried as I felt my walls tighten around his length, "Edward! Edward… EDWARD!" I nearly screamed as I muffled my lips against his neck as I felt myself explode with pleasure against him.

"Oh, yes," He moaned as I loosened my grip on him, suddenly feeling weak from all the energy I had used, "Isabella… ughhh, fu… Isabella!" He called out as he slowed his strides to more serious tightness with his hips against mine, "IS-A-BELL-A!" He moaned so violently I could almost feel myself release for him again, the sound of him calling out my name made me so… made… me so…

"Uggh!" I moaned unexpectedly as I felt my walls clench back around him, "EDWARD!" I called out in an almost laugh as I came for him again, "AHHHHH!" I moaned as I arched my back and squeezed my eyes shut tightly.

It seemed to last forever as Edward pressed his lips softly down on to my neck to kiss me over and over as I continued releasing myself for him.

"Ugh, ugh… uh… Edward…" I whispered softly in a moan as I relaxed my body back onto the bed, feeling weak and limp from making love to my one and only.

Edward leaned his head down and gently rested his forehead against mine. He then kissed me softly and whispered, "I love you Isabella."

"I love you Edward." I said back softly as my eyelids fell shut weakly.

"You can sleep my love," He whispered softly as he kissed my forehead, "I'm never going to leave you… sleep and I'll hold you."

And I fell asleep in his arms.

And I dreamt of my parents.

TBC


	12. Always Hope

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Eleven: Always Hope

**Edward's POV**

The sun outside was still sleeping behind the curtains hanging precariously in Isabella's aged and dusty window.

I ran the blades of my fingers gently down the length of her temple and jawbone, and asked softly aloud, "How are you still here? How are you not passed away or aged or sick or dying?"

Honestly: it didn't matter to me, so as long as she was here nothing did. But I couldn't help but wonder. Surly it was not a normal thing, for a person, a human, to stay the same age and health and physical appearance for as long as she has.

Her hair was still as silky and lush as it had been the day I first met herm and the day I proposed to her as I lay dying in my hospital bed; her skin just as soft and warm.

I love her. I love her with my all of my heart, my soul, mind, body… I love her with everything I have, everything I am, everything I can give.

I leaned forward and gingerly pressed my forehead against her tender and delicate temple as I slid my hand smoothly across her chest and cupped it securely around her shoulder. I then tilted my head forward and kissed the beginning of her jawbone with effortless care; just pressing my lips hard enough against her to feel her skin but not disturb her soundless slumber.

She fit so perfectly in my arms, so comfortably. It made me wonder how I had gone all of those years without her in my life.

Though she had never left. Not really. She had always been with me, in my heart and in my memories. She had gone on living with me when I thought there was nothing left to hold onto.

I was all she had now. Her parents had perished in the sea nearly a hundred years ago with hundreds of others. And Ronald and Lily had left this world with nothing more than their son and hopes that their daughter would one day come home again. Brandon, he had gone out alone. Never got married, never had any children of his own… never even gave love a chance. He was so focused on the disappearance of his sister -on the past- that he ignored everything else in life, so much, that it very well could have been the death of him. He ignored everything in life that didn't revolve around her… but honestly… I would have done the same thing if it weren't for Carlisle.

I would have died. I would have died from losing her, and I know that sounds ridiculous and absurd. But it is the honest-to-God truth. Isabella is my life, and in my very long and endless life I always knew there was something worth living for, worth waiting for. But little did I know it would be my once lost but always one and only true love.

And as I looked down at her, safe and happy and protected in my arms, it made me realize something that I should have a long time ago...

And that is there is always hope.

TBC

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**A/N: **Whoa, well… talk about hasn't updated in forever! Sorry guys! And I bet you were expecting/hoping for a long and in-depth update here, huh? Well, for what it's worth: chapter twelve will not take nearly as long to post and will be much longer. Review, tell me what you think, and I will be back in a few days! (Family reunion, fun fun)

XOXO- Bella. Diggory


	13. Abducted

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Twelve: Abducted

**Isabella's POV**

"_Who…" I began slowly, my head spinning and the world around me a blur of near black and white bleakness as I was carried down a narrow, moist stairway. "Who are you… were… am… I?" I looked up, his face was smooth, like fine crystal, yet it was gray like ash. "Please…" I begged him, "Answer me." _

_The man remained silent as I was laid down gently onto a firm mattress set lazily on the ground. And as I looked around I saw that I was in a sort of makeshift bedroom; there were mirrors and dressers and desks everywhere. A makeshift bedroom filled with junk of people pasts. Dolls were laid out along the dusty floor, along with outdated dress and moldy-looking brushes and shoes, books and socks. _

"_You need not fear any longer, my Love," The man said with a deep, raspy voice, and as I looked up I saw him looming above me, crouched down beside me on the mattress. I made ready myself to move, but found the only thing I could do was blink my eyes and roll my head about. _

"_Who are you?" I asked weakly. "Why do you call me Love?" _

_His lips curled into a wide, open smile to reveal a mouth full of rotten teeth and putrid-smelling breath. I held my breath as he leaned down closer towards me, and running his hand over my forehead and down my hair whispered. "Because, that is what you are. You are my Love, and so I will call you that." He laughed softly before leaning down to kiss my forehead, I tried to cringe away, but still my body refused to move. "Oh," He added with a slight moan. "You smell so very, very good, Isabella." _

"_Please," I begged him with wet tears now filling my eyes and running down my cold cheeks. "Stop. Please, take me home… please, I beg of you… I won't tell anyone of this, or you. Just take me home, please." _

"_Oh, my sweet, sweet, dear rose. My sweet flower, my sunshine… I could never let you go. No, you have no idea how long I have watched you, how long I have… longed to have you." He told me softly as he looked down at me with unfaltering intensity in his eyes. "No, you are mine now, Isabella… and I shall never let you go." _

"_But," I sobbed, "Please, please sir, I beg you… please… I do not know you. Please, I am not yours, sir, please… please…" _

"_Oh, shh, shh, shh," He cooed softly as he leaned in closer towards me and kissed my forehead once again, this time more firmly and for longer. "Don't cry my love, please do not cry. I am not going to hurt you; it pains me to see you cry. Those tears… so sad, so wet… so… moist." _

"_Please!" I begged with the most volume I could muster. "I am not yours, I am engaged… I am to be married, you see, so I can not possibly be yours! I do not love you but someone else!" I cried. "I love Edward! Edward Masen! Only him, sir, only ever him! Not you; never you!"_

"_It is alright that you feel that way, Isabella," He said gently. "For your Edward lays dying… does he not?" He asked, while looking down at me and pausing for a long moment. "See? So how can you marry a man who will soon be dead? How is a dead man to care for you? How is he to love you?_

"_I am alive, Isabella, and I am here." He went on as I felt feeling return slowly back into my fingers and toes. "And I love you, probably more than he ever has or ever will… or will ever be capable of doing." _

"_No," I forced, "No, he loves me. He loves me, he does. You, you do not." _

"_How do you know that though, my Darling?" He wondered as he ran his fingers back through my hair, and pulled his glasses from his eyes. "I do love you. I love you, so much. I have seen you since you first arrived here, in America. I know everything about you, absolutely everything. I know about your parents, and about the family you live with now, about all of your tragedies and bliss's… your secrets and happiness's._

"_Oh, just you wait, I am going to give you so much love and devotion you wouldn't ever want your Edward again, even if you could have him. I am going to make you love me so much that you will never want anyone but me." _

"_Please," I begged again as I used all the strength I had to pull myself up with my now-mobilized elbows. "Just let me go."_

"_Oh, careful, careful," He said as he gently eased me back down to my back; I struggled to fight him, but it was no use. "Don't want to use up too much strength. No, you must let it all come back first, my Love."_

"_Stop calling me that." I told him with my eyes closed; his hands still on my shoulders._

"_No please?" He wondered as I felt his _foul_ breath caress my neck and ear. "That isn't very polite."_

"_Stop calling me that, _please_," I obliged while opening my eyes to find his head now bent down and inches from mine as he ran his nose up and down the length of my exposed neck._

"_You truly are very, very beautiful, Isabella." He whispered as he pressed his lips down to my skin, and this time was able to cringe away. "Oh, don't do that, no, I must be able to touch you… to kiss you… to… have you… to have… all of you." _

"_No," I told him quickly as I turned to face him, but realized my mistake all too late as his lips came crashing down to mine. "No!" I called out as I managed to turn my head away from his, and nearly retching from the taste and smell of his decaying mouth, lifted my heavy arms to push him away. _

"_No, no, no!" He told me as he forced my arms back down to my sides. "I told you my flower! You must not use any of your strength yet! No, stay still, Isabella… Just, stay still…" He said slowly and softly as he placed the palm of his hand onto my stomach and began caressing it softly. I dared to push his hand away, but too soon his free hand was pushing mine away. _

_I lay still as he reached his hand down the front of my nightgown and began fondling my breasts, and I began crying softly, "Edward, Edward please… please save me… please find me… please… oh, Edward… please come…" _

"_No need to call out to a dead man, Isabella," The man moaned as I felt him force open my legs, where he then began humping himself against me while sucking my now-exposed nipples into his mouth._

_I screamed and cried at the same time as I raised my hands and shoved them weakly against his chest as he continued his advances._

"_Fine," He said as he pulled his lips away from me. "Use your strength then, it'll only make you weaker." And he brought his lips down to my neck and bit me softly, and I cried and screamed with everything I had._

"_Please!" I hollered. "Please stop this! Get off of me, please! Please!" _

"_You know I hate seeing you in such distress, don't you?" He asked after pulling his head away from my neck and looking down at me with concern. "Oh, say you do my Love, say you do?" _

"_No!" I screamed. "No!" I sobbed._

"_Fine," He sighed. "If you are going to think that then I might as well _really_ make you feel it, shant I?" I swallowed while looking up at him, and looking down at me he ran his hand over my hair and whispered. "Oh how I love you… this is going to hurt me so much, but you have given me no choice. Ready yourself my rose, for this is going to hurt quite a lot, I feel." _

_I closed my eyes and thought of Edward. His face, his voice, his touch, his gentleness…_

_He was inside of me._

_His tenderness, his lovingness, his protectiveness…_

"_Ugh!" He grunted loudly as he thrashed in and out. "Yes! Yes!"_

"_I love you Isabella," Edward said weakly. "But you shouldn't have come…"_

"_I love you Edward, no force could keep me from you…"_

_He slammed his lips down to mine and forced open my lips, where he then slithered his wet tongue into my mouth. _

_His eyes, his hair, his skin, his smell…_

"_Oh, uh, uh, uhg! Oh, yessss!" He panted quickly, along with his strides that he quickened._

"_I love you." The man said softly as he ran his hand over my hair once more, and kissed me. "Oh, I will love you forever." _

* * *

"_ISABELLA!" His voice hollered out with rage from somewhere behind me, and a loud bang followed. "ISABELLA! WHERE ARE YOU?"_

"_Oh, God, please Lord," I prayed as I turned into another dark passageway. "Please, allow me to escape this man. Please, please Lord in Heaven… do not let him find me!" I cried softly while limping as quickly as I could. "Please, oh, please Lord!"_

"_YOU CAN NOT RUN ISABELLA!" He roared. "AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME! AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME YOU TRY AND LEAVE ME! YOU ARE HURTING MY FEELINGS ISABELLA! NOW COME OUT AND APPOLOGIZE TO ME NOWWWWWW!" _

"_Ah!" I cried out as softly as I could as I twisted my ankle while making another blind turn. "Ow, ow, oh, ow!" I cried as I quickened my pace as fast as I was able._

"_How long have I been here?" I wondered silently to myself. "A year? Two years… oh, heavens I don't know but I must leave now! However long it has been, it feels ever so much longer than a handful of years! An eternity I have been trapped with this man! I will not fail, I will escape him! I will find a doctor, first thing! No, first I will go to police and report him, and then I shall go to the doctor and cleanse whatever it was he has been dosing and injecting me with all this time! I – must – escape - !"_

"_ISABELLA!" He screamed again, this time with tears plain in his voice. "PLEASE! COME BACK! YOU CAN NOT LEAVE NOW, YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORLD! IT HAS CHANGED TOO MUCH FOR YOUR LITTLE HEART TO UNDERSTAND! PLEASE, I AM HELPING YOU, STAY WITH ME MY LOVE!"_

"_No!" I screamed in my head. "The world has changed? The only thing that has changed is me! You have taken an innocent girl and corrupted her, for that is all that has changed you monstrous, filthy, sick, abducting rapist!"_

"_ISABELLA! PLEASE HEAR ME! OH, ISABELLA! WHERE ARE YOU? I AM SORRY IF I EVER HURT YOU! ISABELLA, PLEASE HE-" His voice faded until I could barley hear it. Far, that meant I was far from him! Yes, yes Isabella, keep going, do not give… give… up…_

"_What is that?" I asked as I heard a loud, unfamiliar noise buzz above me. "What is that?" I asked again as I limped forward. "Light!" I proclaimed softly as a hint of light made itself visible before my eyes. "Oh, dear sweet sunshine! I am coming, I am coming!" _

_I continued limping painfully along the wet, narrow, smelly path towards the light, until at last I could see the sun. It was bright and burned my paled skin, but I didn't care, sun meant freedom. _

_Then there was that noise again, that loud, booming, thunderous noise. "What is that?" I asked to myself as my eyes slowly, slowly adjusted to the bright sun. And then there it was…_

_A bird? No, it could not be a bird, it was far too large to be that of a mere bird, or any other flying animal for that, if there were any others than birds. And far too loud, for that matter. So, what then? Surly it wasn't a ship or a boat or an automobile, for none of those were so deafeningly loud! _

"_Ah, ah!" I called out as the nose became louder, and I forced my hands harshly to cover my ears from whatever it was, was getting closer._

_There it was… it was a… a… a flying… thing. Big, bigger than anything I had ever seen before! And it was so very high in the air! In the air! How on earth was it in the air? As I took another step forward I found that I was too high in the air, standing at the edge of a sort of cliff top. When I looked down I say water. Oh, so much water… so, so much water…_

_I found myself becoming faint, and made ready to lean myself against the wall behind me, but heard a small squeal and looked down to my feet to see a fat, filthy rat scampering towards me._

_I screamed and fell backwards; air rushing past me where there sound have been ground._

TBC

* * *

**AN: **Can I hear a YAY! For actually writing the story as it was first meant to be told? I know I am yay-ing! :D


	14. I Remember

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Thirteen: I Remember

**Edward's POV**

"Edward," I heard her call softly from upstairs as I stood in the hallway with my hands buried deep in my pockets while looking at the photos of her and the Tailor's. "Edward," She called again, and I slid my hands from my pockets and rushed quickly up the stairs to her bedroom, where I found her shaking and sitting off the side of her bed and looking at the floor.

"Isabella," I said softly as I rushed to kneel before her and take her hands in mine. "What is it? You're shaking…" I added as I ran a hand up and down her arm from her elbow to shoulder soothingly; she tightened her hand in mine. "Tell me what's wrong, I hate seeing you like th-"

"I remember," She cut me off with a quaking voice. "I remember… everything."

I looked up at her with intent, caring eyes as a silent tear ran down her cheek. I reached my hand up to wipe it away, and as I did she let out a long, shaky sigh. "He had a key," She began. "That's how he got in and out unnoticed; it even went unnoticed for me… when I woke up I was not home…"

As she went on I had to pull my hands away from her for fear of squeezing her hands or arm too tight from rage of her words; her memories of torture, rape, injections… How this man had held her for years and years against her will for the claim of loving her and yet doing nothing but torturing and raping her; injecting her with liquids that hurt so badly she would go days without a voice from screaming so loud and long, and crying all the while, wondering how and why no one would hear her.

Sometimes she would scream so loud even _he_ couldn't bear it, and would knock her out with chloroform… but when she woke up the pain was still there… And the wound on her leg was for testing. He would keep it held open with copper prods so it wouldn't heal, and he would go poking into her flesh with blades and needles… and his own fingers. _Checking to see when your next injection is needed,_ he would tell her.

"Isabella," I told her after a moment, when I was finally able to calm myself down enough to speak unwaveringly. "You are free now; you got out, and I will never, never let that man touch you again." I promised her as I pulled myself up and cupped her face in my hands and kissed her forehead tenderly. "But for now," I added as I looked back into her wet eyes, "We need to get back to Forks."

She looked up at me curiously for a moment, and then, with understanding in her eyes, nodded.

"Carlisle will be able to help; we need to do some blood tests and see what that man was giving you to… keep you so young." I told her with a sigh as I ran the side of my hand down the length of her cheek.

"Edward," She began as she rested her hands about the crooks of my neck. "I may not know what he was giving me, but I do know that I am still –if only by appearance- seventeen. But, so are you… and the last time I saw you you were on your death bed… how are _you _still seventeen?" She asked, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and dropped my head, whishing nothing more than to be able to tell her, but at the same time know that right now that knowledge would be too much for her.

"Isabella," I told her after a moment while looking into her eyes. "I promise that after we get back to Forks and figure out how you are still here –still young- I will tell you how I am. I will tell you everything you ask me, and everything that you need to know. Everything will be answered."

"And Dr. Cullen?" She asked as I ran my fingers through her hair slowly. "You'll tell me about him too? His story as well?"

"Yes," I told her softly with a nod, "Yes my Love, I will tell you everything."

She gave me a small, teary-eyed smile, and I leaned forward to kiss her.

TBC


	15. Ninety Two Years

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Fourteen: Ninety-Two Years

**Isabella's POV**

"You know, after everything you went through," Dr Cullen began after stabbing into the crook of my elbow with a thick needle, "After everything you went through, you still don't seem to have an issue with needles."

"Yes, well, after you go through what I went through for as long as I went through… you just turn numb after a while. Things that once bothered me just went unnoticed after a few decades."

"I didn't mean anything by it, Isabella," He told me seriously after filling a second tube with my blood, "It was poor wording on my part; what I was trying to say is that I am amazed that you aren't experiencing any PTSD."

"PTSD?" I asked him with my eyebrows knitted together with confusion.

He nodded. "PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it is a common reaction people have after going through traumatic experiences, for any length of time. PTSD is having flashbacks and memories of what it is you went through that was so traumatizing. And it can – in serious cases – make the person think that they are back at the source of their PTSD, though never for more than a few moments at a time."

"So if I get that – though I pray to God I do not – it is normal?" I asked as I looked up at him.

"Well, as much as I wish I could say it wasn't, it is normal. But as normal and common as it is it does not always occur." He shook his head while pressing a cotton swab firmly against my skin after pulling the needle out. "It doesn't always happen on its own. Sometimes it needs a push."

"A push?" I asked.

He nodded. "Stimulation; talking about it, thinking about it, going back to where it was… things that get your mind focused on the event – or events - itself. So as hard as it may be sometimes, I am going to ask you to try to focus your thoughts as far away from the incident as possible."

"Dr Cullen," I began as he dropped the used needle into a deep plastic container and pulled off his glove, "I know what you are asking of me is for my own good, but for my own good or not it will be next to impossible to follow through with successfully."

"I know that, that is why I asked to you try, not to make yourself."

"You have to understand, when I woke up I couldn't remember a thing of my past; my life. And then I saw Edward and I knew I knew him, and then Chicago and all those memories coming back in my sleep… they are all I can think about, even when I'm not trying to. I mean I am - or was – still am, look, seventeen. How can I not wonder about it; what he was injecting me with for all of those years."

"That is why you are here, Isabella, to find answers to those questions. Now I can't tell you everything, but I can help determine what it was that he was injecting into you."

"Dr Cullen…" I said slowly as I looked out the window. "In a way, do you think it was supposed to happen?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you are asking?"

"Being taken," I began, "By that man. I mean, of course if I could go back to 1918 and tell myself to sleep with Brandon that night I would do so in a heartbeat. But, at the same time, I can't help but wonder if it was for the best."

"The best?" He asked me, "Isabella, you were tortured and raped and held captive for ninety-two years, I wouldn't call that the best no matter what the reason."

"Ninety-two years… and I am still seventeen, and so is Edward, and you look no older than you did then. You can't tell me that being taken wasn't meant to happen; I washed up where you live, I was taken to a place that would end up being where the two of you live when came the day for me to escape. You can't say that isn't some sort of fate, or, at the very least coincidence."

He smiled.

* * *

"What do you mean come looking for her?" Edward asked with his arms folded across his chest.

"Edward you know perfectly well what I mean," Carlisle went on as he took a step closer towards his adopted son. "When we – that is to say Isabella and I – were talking earlier; things she was saying to me made me realize some things that I had overlooked before." Edward nodded his head, beckoning him to go on. "She is still human, Edward, which begs the question exactly how far was she traveling in the water before she washed up at First Beach? She can't have been in the water for more than a few miles, tops."

"Okay," Edward nodded.

"Edward!" Carlisle proclaimed. "Think! She wasn't far away from here!"

Edward nodded again, "Which means that…" He trailed, suddenly coming to the realization that Carlisle had already reached. "Carlisle… no, he can't…"

"Yes, he can Edward," Carlisle said with a sigh, "And seeing how every local newspaper in Forks has had her face on it for the past week I'd say he won't have too difficult of a time, either."

"She is safe," Edward said firmly. "As long as she is with me, she is safe. I can protect her now better than I ever could if I were still human. And you, and Rosalie and Alice and Jasper and Emmett and Esme; Carlisle, as long as she is with one of us she will be protected and safe from _him_."

"I'm not worried about her safety Edward," Carlisle told him. "I know you will never let harm or danger befall on her."

"What, then?" Edward asked. "Him?"

"That is exactly what I am talking about, Edward." Carlisle said as he turned his body to face his wide window with his hands buried deep in his pockets. "We don't know a thing about him. His name, what he looks like, his mannerisms… all we can go off of is what we know through Isabella's memories."

"That's not entirely true," Edward said with a forced smile. "You have me."

"You're going to try to scope him out." Carlisle sighed. "And then what?"

"I'm going to do what I have to."

"Edward, think before you do anythi-"

"What if it were Esme?"

"Then I'd make sure he got what was coming to him, and more," Carlisle nodded as he walked up to Edward. "I would make him feel everything he made her feel, except I wouldn't give him the pleasure of getting away."

"And neither will I."

"Edward, you really need to think before you act, here," Carlisle begged him, "Sinking down to his level; doing to him, making him experience what he made her experience… it makes you like him, Edward, not better than him."

"I am not going to do to him what he did to her, Carlisle," Edward shook his head. "No, I am going to make him suffer much, _much _worse."

"Edward, you ne-"

"Ninety-two years, Carlisle," Edward cut him off, "Ninety-two years she suffered from that man. What I am going to do to him will be in a much smaller time frame, though to him I'm sure it'll feel much longer than ninety-two years."

"Do you really think that Isabella would want that?" Carlisle wondered. "Would want you to become the type of person that she was forced to live with for all those years?"

"Honestly? No. I don't," Edward agreed, "But if I do find him, or if he finds her; us, than I am not just going to sit around and do nothing."

"Just make sure you make the right decision," Carlisle told him as he headed towards his office door and gripped the handle, "For her."

* * *

"_STOP!" I screamed with my eyes squeezed painfully shut. "PPLLEEAASSEE!" The pain was unbearable; his fingers gabbing into my open flesh as he stabbed me again and again with needles and forcing the thick, hot liquid into my veins. "PLEASE PLEASE STOP!" I cried, "JUST KILL ME; PLEASE JUST MAKE IT END!" _

"_I would never kill you, Isabella, no, is that what you think I want? You dead? No, I am giving you life, Isabella! Long, healthy life that anyone else would die for! Now, just a few more inject-"_

_I voiced a new scream as another needle was stabbed into the side of my neck, sending the thick liquid coursing slowly through my weak body. And then another into my hip as the thick, heavy metal ice picker was shoved into my wound and towards me knee. I screamed as I felt it piercing its way through my flesh and make its way slowly towards my knee; cutting through veins and tendons and bone._

"_Hm, you do need more this time." He mused as he pulled the now flesh-and-blood-covered ice picker from my leg and set it beside my head. He then pulled a pair of small scissors from the metal table beside us and ran it down my leg with a sick smile along his lips, "Now, lets see if it is-"_

_My scream cut him off again as he began snipping away at pieces of my flesh from my bloody, open leg. "PLEASE!" I begged him violently as I twisted and pulled at the binds holding me down by the ankles and wrists. "STOP! STOP STOP STOP! PLEASE!"_

"_Here we are…" He said softly to himself as I bit my tongue as to stop another scream from vibrating up my sore throat. I could feel him tear open a piece of my flesh before stabbing it with a needle and injecting me once more with the painful liquid. As he set the needle down beside me I saw his hands covered with my red, fresh blood. _

"_Now," He said after a moment of silence, "One more check…" His fingers were inside of me again, and I felt with relief him pull them away almost as soon as he touched me. _

_He leaned down to kiss me before covering me with a thin, moldy blanket. "Sleep now, my Darling." _

_The pain was still there, but it had been so long now of being in this place that nothing hurt more than the needle injecting me with the white-hot liquid. The after-pain wasn't so bad. Not as it once had been._

_I closed my eyes with a trembling body._

* * *

"Isabella!" Edward cried with his arms wrapped tightly around me as we lay chest-to-chest in his bed, "Isabella, I'm here, I'm here… you don't need to be afraid." I hadn't even known I was sleeping, but the realization brought tears to my eyes and before I could stop myself I was sobbing against him. "Shh, shh… I won't let anyone hurt you. Never, never again my Love… I have you… I have you… You're alright now Isabella, I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you; where I belong."

"Edward!" I cried, gripping onto the back of his shirt and pulling myself as close to him as I could manage; his arms tightened around me as memories swirled about me and engulfed me.

"…_As hard as it may be sometimes, I am going to ask you to try to focus your thoughts as far away from the incident as possible…" _

I tried, oh, how I tried to listen…

TBC


	16. Results

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Fifteen: Results

**Carlisle's POV**

I sat in my chair behind my desk with my head in my hands; Isabella's blood results laid out before me.

This was not possible. It just couldn't be. And if it were, then how was it plausible if not possible? To keep this, this synthesized venom in her for all of these years… The pain and agony she must have endured! I went through it once – we all did – but to go through it for the entirety of a lifetime or longer? I couldn't even imagine. That pain, that fire burning and coursing through her again and again! Keeping her alive and youthful and ageless, but for what purpose? To keep her captive forever?

And the venom itself – synthesized – how did the man make it? So real, so accurate to almost a T. The only downside was having to have it injected into your body again and again; that pain for more of your life than you have lived it, more moments of agony than of joy. And now that she is no longer receiving the injections of this manmade vampire venom, what did that mean?

But more, what did that mean for the virus that was also in Isabella's veins, the virus that had been there all along but had been put on hold indefinitely due to all of the synthesized venom he was giving her… was it going to start back up again? Was it going to at last live up to its full power? The thought of it alone sent me into hysterics, which was, as I was a vampire, to say a lot.

And the even bigger question that kept hounding me on and on… would she begin to age again? And if so, how quickly? And even without the worry about all of those things on top of others, would Edward be able to change her – if she, and he – so chose it?

Thinking and thinking I pulled my head away from my hands and let out a long, deep breath while opening my eyes. He would have to, that much I knew, and what I also knew was that the sooner I talked to him and told him everything I had discovered was for the best. What with the fact that she hadn't been given any synthesized injections for at least a week and with the Spanish influenza slowly and surly getting back to its full strength in her system… Well, she was lucky to be alive and as healthy as she was.

Reaching my hand across my desk I picked up her blood results to look them over once more, and with a sigh of defeat I set the papers back down and rubbed my hands over my temples in thought. I truly didn't know what to do. And the only thing I could think of doing was out of the question without the consent of Edward, and Isabella, of course. I really didn't want it to come down to what I was thinking in the end, but at the same time every part of me was telling me that there really was no other option. Isabella was dying, and would have to be turned, and I mean really turned this time, not just synthesized or tortured, but really turned.

And fast.

TBC


	17. As I Lay Dying

**The Antique Ring**

Chapter Sixteen: As I Lay Dying

**Edward's POV**

"She's asleep right now, why?" I asked while gently pulling closed her bedroom door and walking out into the hallway of the upstairs of Chief Swan's house. "Did you get her blood test results back?"

"Yes," Carlisle breathed after a moment of silence, "Her results are back – I have been looking at them all day and all night, trying to see if there is something I've been misreading… but there's not. They're there in black and white."

"Carlisle?" I asked him while sliding myself down and taking a seat on the top landing above the stairs, "What are you leaving out?"

"It's nothing I am purposefully not telling you, Edward, I would just rather tell you to your face than to say it over the phone." He explained.

"You can tell me over the phone; we'll talk about it face to face later," I suggested softly as to not wake Isabella.

"Edward, I don't think that-"

"Just… please, Carlisle. I hadn't seen her for almost a hundred years, and now the reason for that is being held from me when it is available. Please, Carlisle, as your son… please don't keep that information for me."

I could tell he was struggling with himself; with words, as shuffling and long, gentle breaths filled my ears from across the line. "Okay…" He decided at last, "Okay Edward, but you aren't going to like it, and I must ask that you wait for your comments until after I am finished talking." Agreeing, he went on to tell me everything.

"Manmade venom?" I asked, "But, how? How is that even possible?"

"Edward, there's more," He said.

"Okay…"

"The venom, while keeping her alive and ageless, also kept her healthy – for as long as it was being injected into her. But now – now that she is no longer receiving the synthetic venom – everything and anything that was in her system before her first injection is rebuilding itself and getting its strength back each day she goes without it." Keeping my eyes wide open and ears focused on nothing but Carlisle's words, I placed my closed fist onto the side of my head and pressed the phone tighter against my ear. "Her body, Edward, is not like yours or mine or any other vampire's – it is still human, and being so it will start to act more human than what she has been used to for a very long time.

"It will no longer ward off viruses or illnesses or physical injuries as it once did, but instead it will start to welcome them as any other humans' would. And, that being said, she is very lucky to be as healthy as she is with going as long as she has without an injection - after receiving them on a regular basis for as long as she did. Everything that is in her body will begin to grow strong and healthy, and with it she will…"

"Carlisle," I told him with my eyes now closed and head in my hand, "You just said the same thing in twelve different ways… you are still keeping something from me, I don't know what it is, but would you please just cut the wonder-words and tell me in plain English what it is you are still not saying?"

"Edward, she was abducted in February of 1918, and by being her doctor I already knew her immune system was stronger than others; it would take her five times as long to get a cold than other humans," He said carefully, "So I know that even if she was exposed to something her body wouldn't show any symptoms of that sickness for quite a while; by the time it would be noticeable to others they may even wonder – by not knowing about her immune system – what she had been exposed to and how she was all of the sudden sick.

"You were in the hospital, Edward, and she came to see you Christmas of 1917… you were dying of the Spanish Influenza and I begged her not to see you… but she threatened to look through all the rooms, there was noting I could have done to stop her from getting exposed. If not by you, than somebody else…

"Synthetic venom wasn't the only thing that stood out to me in her blood work; I've been burying myself in the results for hours, just willing it to vanish, to disappear…"

"I gave her the Spanish Influenza…" I said softly, weakly as I dropped my head away from my hand and looked down at my feet. "And now it's killing her…"

"Edward, I wanted to tell you in person."

"No, no," I shook my head while pulling myself to stand back up. "I wanted to know, and now I do." I half smiled, more out of anger towards myself than anything.

"I know you don't like discussing it, Edward, but you know the only way to save her," He told me calmly, "To keep her."

"I know."

Walking back towards her bedroom I quickly flew open the door to find her spread across the floor beside her bed; covers torn about all around her – half still on the bed and her hair disarrayed as she pushed herself slowly into a sitting position with her hands. "Edward," She swallowed while looking over at me, but unable to force her eyes to reach up to meet mine, added, "I'm fine just – just dizzy all of the sudden." She told me, sitting up now and placing her open palm firmly against her stomach.

"Isabella…" I said slowly while walking towards her and dropping to my knees just before her.

"I'm fine," She smiled, laughing for a moment before silencing herself and throwing her hand over her mouth. I watched as she kicked herself to her feet and ran as fast as her body would allow to her door, and apparently deciding she would be unable to make it out her door and into the bathroom dropped herself beside her desk and pulled the trash bin into her lap.

With her face buried in the trash bin and crawled myself to her and bundled her hair into my hand and held it at the base of her neck as she vomited for the third time. I rubbed my hand slowly over her back and kissed her shoulder once before leaning my forehead down onto her. "Edward don't," She coughed while looking back at me with sad, pleading eyes, "Get away from me; I don't want you to get sick!" She rushed before slamming her face into the trash bin once more.

Once she was able to breath at a somewhat steady pace I pulled my head away from her shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry, I can't get sick."

"Whatever do you mean?" She asked with confused eyes, and I went on to tell her everything I had promised I would.

* * *

"But that's impossible," She said from my lap; an arm still clutched protectively around the emptied trash bin. "Vampires… they don't exist…" She said more to herself than to me, looking into my eyes, "They just… can't…"

"They do, Isabella, and I am one… I was dying, and Carlisle promised my Mother he'd do everything in his power to save me – he even thought, for a while – that she knew his secret." I told her softly while running a hand through her hair, "I love you, Isabella, and I would never ask you to give up your soul for me."

"Do you think," She wondered slowly after a moment, "That if your Mother truly knew about Dr- Carlisle's _secret_, that she still would have asked the same thing from him; about you?

"Souls… they are so… so… so…" she said weakly, suddenly, her head drooping slowly forward and her cheeks surpassing the paleness of even my own.

"Isabella!" I shouted, making her cringe her eyes and slowly lift her head back upright. She tried opening her mouth to respond, but no sound other than gurgles and barley audible words came out.

Pulling myself to my feet with her against me still, I carried her over to the bed and laid her down gently and thanked God for the Chief not being home from the station yet.

"Edward," She mumbled with tears, "Edward… I don't… I don't feel…"

"I know," I told her quickly, "I know, Isabella…" I added slowly while looking down at her weak, small figure. She was so frail and pale; I couldn't bear to see her like this, but I couldn't take away her free will, either. And just as I had been speaking to her telepathically, she opened her eyes and reached her hand out to take mine, weakly.

"Isabella…" I said tenderly before leaning down to kiss her forehead, and as my lips touched down to her skin I felt subtle little movements as she nodded her head. "Are you positive this is what you want?" I asked from beside her with our hands cradled together. Again, she nodded, and I took my free hand and slid back the hair so her thin, ivory neck was exposed. "I love you," I told her as I inched my head into her, "I love you, I love you, I love you Isabella," I told her repeatedly as my lips touched down to her neck, "And I am so sorry," I apologized softly before opening my lips and piercing into her flesh.

She screamed.

TBC


End file.
